ISWAP Overruns Military Base in Borno, 20 Nigerian Soldiers Missing

A pre-dawn assault by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a Nigerian military base in Marte Local Government Area, Borno State, has left at least 20 soldiers missing and sparked mass displacement of civilians.

The attack, which occurred early on Monday morning, is being described by security experts as one of the boldest ISWAP operations in recent months. The insurgents reportedly overran the military facility, seized weapons from the base armory, and forced thousands of residents to flee toward neighboring Dikwa for safety.

“As of this morning, about 20 soldiers are still missing. They are yet to return after yesterday’s incident, but we remain hopeful they are alive,” a security source told LEADERSHIP.

Preliminary reports indicate that four personnel have been confirmed dead, with several others wounded or possibly kidnapped during the siege. The number of casualties may rise as search and recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of the ambush.

The attack is believed to be part of ISWAP’s renewed offensive, raising fears of a resurgence in areas previously stabilized by military operations.

“We are experiencing renewed attacks from the terrorists. They are still in control of the base, and the armed forces should, as a matter of urgency, restore normalcy in the affected communities,” another local source said.

In a related incident, early Tuesday morning, Nigerian Army troops, supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and local hunters, successfully repelled a separate ISWAP raid on Dikwa town.

The insurgents reportedly deployed two surveillance drones before launching an assault on a military post around 1:00 a.m., according to a CJTF fighter who requested anonymity.

“They may have followed our troops who retreated from Marte, but this time, our military responded decisively and defended our territory,” the source said.

A fierce gun battle ensued, lasting over an hour, and ultimately pushed back the attackers, preventing further damage and civilian harm.

As of the time of reporting, the Nigerian Defense Headquarters has not issued a formal statement on either the Marte or Dikwa operations.

The public continues to call for urgent military reinforcement, humanitarian assistance for displaced residents, and transparent updates regarding the status of the missing soldiers.