By Obinna Uballa
Several Nigerian soldiers are feared dead following an early morning attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a military outpost in Jakana, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.
Military sources said the insurgents stormed the area along the Maiduguri–Damaturu Road on Friday, firing sporadically before launching explosives at the army facility.
SaharaReporters, an online newspaper, reported, quoting sources, that the attackers arrived in multiple groups and were difficult to count. They reportedly overran the base, killing an unspecified number of soldiers, while others fled into surrounding bushes.
“An attack occurred this morning, 06/02/2025, at an Army outpost in Jakana town by Boko Haram terrorists, with many casualties recorded on our side. The corpses have been transferred to the 7 Division military hospital in Maiduguri,” a senior source said.
The attackers were also said to have set armoured tanks and military vehicles ablaze and carted away a large cache of ammunition.
The incident comes days after another deadly assault on a military base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area, where several soldiers were reportedly killed.
Earlier, seven military personnel, including a newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel, were killed in an ambush while travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area on January 26, 2025. Sources said the insurgents deployed explosives and heavy gunfire during that attack.
Beyond those confirmed dead, several soldiers were said to have sustained serious injuries, while an unknown number remain missing.
Security analysts note that since the death of former JAS leader Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has steadily expanded its influence around the Lake Chad region, bolstered by defections from Shekau’s faction.
Despite repeated claims by the Nigerian Army that insurgency has been largely contained, attacks on military formations and communities in Borno and neighbouring states have persisted.
