Bloody week for Nigerian military as insurgents kill scores of soldiers

Nigeria’s armed forces have endured one of their deadliest weeks in recent months after attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed scores of soldiers, including several senior commanders, in the country’s northeast.

At least three commanding officers were killed in separate assaults on military bases in Borno State over the past week, according to local reports.

The attacks targeted forward operating bases and military formations across key frontline areas, including Kukawa, Mayenti and Konduga, where troops are deployed under the military’s counter-insurgency campaign led by Operation Hadin Kai.

Local reports estimate that as many as 100 soldiers were killed in multiple attacks and ambushes within the week, making it one of the bloodiest periods for the Nigerian military in recent times.

Commanders Among the Dead

Among those reported killed was Lt.-Col. Umar Faruq, commander of the military base in Kukawa and a senior officer attached to the 101 Brigade. Insurgents reportedly stormed the town shortly after midnight, attacking the military camp from multiple directions.

Security sources said the fighters overran the base, set vehicles on fire and seized weapons and ammunition during the assault.

A spokesman for the Joint Task Force confirmed that a senior officer was killed in the attack but did not publicly disclose the identity.

Another officer, Major Umar Ibrahim Mairiga, was killed on March 1 during an attack on a forward operations base in Mayenti in Bama Local Government Area. Security sources said the officer fought fiercely as insurgents attempted to capture the base but was eventually overwhelmed during the battle.

Days later, Lt.-Col. S.I. Iliyasu, the commanding officer of the 222 Battalion in Konduga, was also killed along with several soldiers during another insurgent assault on military positions.

The deaths bring to at least seven the number of commanding officers reportedly killed in the northeast within the past three months, according to Daily Trust.

Surge in Coordinated Attacks

The recent wave of attacks has targeted both military formations and nearby communities.

Insurgents launched simultaneous assaults on several locations including Dalwa, Mainok and Kukawa, with fighters attacking from multiple directions in an apparent attempt to overwhelm troop defenses.

The military said sections of defensive perimeters were breached during some of the fighting and that vehicles and structures at certain bases were damaged.

However, it said troops supported by air power eventually repelled the attackers after intense firefights, forcing insurgents to withdraw while leaving behind weapons and ammunition.

Recovered equipment included machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, rifles and mortar bombs, according to the military.

Despite the losses, authorities said all the affected bases remain under the control of Nigerian forces, and follow-up operations are ongoing to track down fleeing fighters.

Persistent Security Challenge

The renewed violence highlights the resilience of insurgent groups that have battled Nigerian forces for more than a decade across the Lake Chad Basin.

Military operations in recent months have intensified in insurgent strongholds such as the Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains and the Timbuktu Triangle, areas where troops have targeted camps and supply routes used by militants.

Security analysts say the killing of senior officers is particularly concerning because of the time and resources required to train experienced commanders.

Mike Ejiofor, a former director at Nigeria’s Department of State Services, described the loss of high-ranking officers as troubling.

“That should be of serious concern when you consider what it takes to train military officers,” he told Daily Trust.

Ejiofor noted that insurgents often operate outside conventional military tactics, launching unpredictable attacks designed to inflict casualties and project continued strength.

While acknowledging ongoing military gains, he said defeating insurgency would require both immediate security responses and long-term structural reforms, including improved intelligence gathering and broader security coordination.