Just two days after 20 fishermen were killed in Bama’s Gadan Gari fishing community, Borno State has been hit by yet another devastating attack.
Armed terrorists, suspected to belong to Boko Haram/ISWAP, launched an assault on a military base in Malam-Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area, claiming the lives of a battalion commander, two senior officers, and 17 soldiers.
The attack took place on Friday, January 24, 2025, in Malam-Fatori, a northern Borno town near the border with Niger. This marks a continuation of escalating violence in the region, following a similar attack weeks earlier on a military base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area.
Eyewitness accounts and intelligence sources described the attackers as arriving in multiple gun trucks. They reportedly overran the 149 Battalion after hours of intense fighting, destroying military buildings and vehicles in the process.
Survivors managed to flee, but several soldiers sustained serious injuries, and an unknown number of personnel remain missing.
“The commanding officer of the battalion, two senior officers, and the base’s medical director were among the casualties,” one source disclosed. “The terror group’s assault left significant damage, forcing survivors to abandon the base.”
Reports also confirmed a deadly attack on Saturday on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Sabon Gari, Damboa, where the terrorists inflicted heavy casualties. “Over seven bodies have so far been recovered. The attack occurred around 4 a.m., and the insurgents used sophisticated weapons to breach the camp,” the source added.
Meanwhile, details have emerged about Wednesday’s attack in Bama, where insurgents killed at least 20 fishermen in the Gadan Gari community. Modu Ari, a civilian task force member, confirmed the incident, noting that insurgents struck around 11:00 a.m., opening fire on unsuspecting fishermen.
Local resident Mustapha Kachallah, whose child was killed in the attack, said, “We have buried over 15 victims already.”
