Army recovers bodies of commander, seven soldiers killed by Boko Haram in Borno

Troops of the Nigerian Army have recovered the bodies of a commanding officer, a major and seven soldiers killed by Boko Haram insurgents during a deadly ambush in the Damasak area of Borno State.

Earlier reports had suggested that seven soldiers were killed during the attack on Monday, while the commanding officer and 12 others were captured by the insurgents. However, fresh details from top security sources have now confirmed that the commanding officer, seven soldiers and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were subsequently executed by the terrorists.

Daily Trust reported, quoting sources, thatthe bodies were recovered on Wednesday after troops engaged the insurgents in a fierce ground battle, supported by air operations.

“Initially, we believed the commanding officer was taken alive, but it later became clear that he was killed alongside the others. Their hands were tied before they were executed, and some of the bodies were dumped in water,” one of the sources disclosed.

The source said the terrorists had laid in wait, hiding in surrounding bushes in anticipation that troops would move in to recover the bodies. However, reinforcements were deployed and engaged the insurgents in a gun battle before fighter jets were called in to dislodge them. The bodies were later airlifted to Maiduguri.

Explaining how the attack occurred, the source said the troops were advancing towards a major Boko Haram camp located between Damasak and Geidam when they were ambushed.

“They appeared to have prior intelligence about our operation. The terrorists encircled our troops midway and opened fire,” he said.

The attack comes amid intensified military operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements across key flashpoints, including the Timbuktu Triangle, Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountains and the Lake Chad axis.

In recent weeks, the military has reported gains in the ongoing offensive, with several insurgent camps overrun and high-profile Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders killed in rugged terrains and previously inaccessible areas.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Army had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, and attempts to reach its spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful.