Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have reportedly killed and beheaded eight security personnel in a deadly attack on a Nigerian Army base in Borno State, further highlighting the renewed wave of violence in the North-East.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Friday, June 5, at the 162 Battalion base located in Mandaragirau along the Mandara–Buratai Road in Borno State.
According to security sources, the terrorists stormed the military formation at about 4 a.m. during a heavy downpour, catching troops off guard and overrunning parts of the base after a fierce assault.
The attack reportedly claimed the lives of five soldiers and three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), while several other personnel sustained injuries.
A military source who survived the attack disclosed that the insurgents arrived in large numbers and launched a coordinated offensive on the base.
“They attacked us at about 4 a.m. when it was raining heavily. Eight of our personnel were killed in action,” the source said.
Another source alleged that some of the slain security personnel were beheaded by the attackers before they fled the scene.
Graphic videos and photographs purportedly showing the aftermath of the attack have since surfaced on social media, sparking outrage and renewed concerns over the security situation in the region.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Army had yet to issue an official statement on the incident. However, further details obtained by this online newspaper indicate that reinforcement troops have been deployed to the area to secure the base and assess the full extent of the casualties and damage.
The latest assault is part of a resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, both of which have intensified operations against military formations and communities across Borno State in recent months.
Borno remains the epicentre of the insurgency that has plagued northeastern Nigeria for more than 15 years, claiming thousands of lives and displacing millions of residents.
