Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have launched a deadly ambush on security forces in Kashimiri village, in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, killing the Commanding Officer of the 202 Battalion, five soldiers, and three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

Several other soldiers, including the Commanding Officer of the 222 Battalion, Konduga, sustained injuries, while one soldier was abducted by the assailants.

Daily Trust gathered that the troops, who had conducted a clearance operation on Friday, were ambushed while returning to Bama.

A survivor of the attack said the incident occurred at Kashimiri, located about 25 kilometres from Bama town and 93 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The soldier said, ?We were deployed for a clearance operation after intelligence indicated that a coalition of terrorists from various locations had gathered to launch an attack on Bama, Kawuri, or Awulari.

?Our assignment from the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army was to disrupt their plan. We achieved our mission ? destroyed their camp, and rescued women and children. Unknown to us, they had prepared an ambush ahead.

?We lost the Commanding Officer of the 202 Battalion, five soldiers, and three Civilian JTF members instantly. They opened fire from behind; when we turned to face them, another group launched RPGs from the front. Bullets rained from both sides.

?The Commanding Officer and the soldiers around him died on the spot. One RPG hit a Civilian JTF member, killing him instantly. It hurts when people say we were killed during a clash ? we completed our mission successfully, only to be ambushed on our way back to Bama. That?s the reality of war.?

He further revealed that troops under the Joint Task Force North East, codenamed Operation Hadin Kai, killed dozens of the terrorists during the clearance operation, with several others fleeing with gunshot wounds.

?They are still picking up the corpses of the terrorists we neutralized, but no one talks about it. As security forces, we are ever ready to sacrifice our lives to protect our nation.

?We evacuated all eight corpses ? five soldiers and three Civilian JTF members ? but intercepted radio communications indicating that one of our soldiers, Bello, was captured alive.

?They use Channel 8 for communication, and we have continued to intercept their signals. They call the names of their fighters, and when someone doesn?t respond, they say, ?he has slept,? meaning he?s dead,? he said.

A senior military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack but noted that troop morale remains high.

?Operations are ongoing on all fronts to maintain pressure on the terrorists, rescue the abducted soldier, and deny them any breathing space,? he said.

He explained that the troops used motorcycles due to the difficult terrain of the area.

?They successfully completed their mission, but unfortunately, we lost some of our men. Because of the flexible nature of motorcycle operations, engagements rarely last more than 30 minutes,? he added.

The source also confirmed that reinforcements had been deployed to track down the abductors.

?Based on our intelligence, Bello was captured alive, and we will do everything possible to rescue him,? he said.

Bama has witnessed a resurgence of insurgent activities in recent months.

On September 5, 2025, terrorists killed more than 60 people in an overnight attack on Darul Jamal village, just a few kilometres from the latest ambush site.

Following that attack, the Nigerian Air Force carried out airstrikes that reportedly killed 30 militants after receiving reports of the massacre in the community, where residents had only recently returned after years of displacement.

In another incident, insurgents attacked a military base in Banki, nearly overrunning the barracks and looting arms and ammunition. (Daily Trust)

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