Borno State governor says the attack is a painful reminder of the ‘heinous desperation of the adversary to torpedo our modest achievements and cause panic in our communities’.

Five Nigerian soldiers have been killed in a dawn gun battle with suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters at a military base in Kareto village in the Gubio district of Borno State.

Ten soldiers were wounded in the attack on Saturday, November 16. A search and rescue mission is continuing for four missing soldiers.

A military officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said the “fierce gun battle” began at at dawn.

The attackers took four military trucks fitted with anti-aircraft guns and burnt five vehicles, including a mine-resistant truck.

Kareto, 153km north of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, is home to the Nigerian army’s 149 Battalion, which is conducting counterinsurgency operations against ISWAP and the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram.

Major General Edward Buba, the director of defence media operations, confirmed the attack and said in a statement that a reinforcement team, supported by the air force, was deployed to pursue the fleeing attackers.

“The attack resulted in the destruction of one gun truck, three TCVs [troop-carrying vehicles] and an excavator,” he said.

“The coordinated attack saw five soldiers killed in action, 10 wounded and four missing.”

Buba said troops “eliminated several terrorists” and seized weapons.

“It is pertinent to note that such an attack shall not deter the troops and armed forces of Nigeria from seeing the end of terrorism, insurgency and other insecurity challenges facing the country.”

In a statement released on Sunday, ISWAP said more than 20 soldiers were “killed and wounded” in a suicide car bomb attack in the dawn raid.

ISWAP said the military base was torched. The group claimed to have burnt 14 vehicles.

Babagana Umara Zulum, the governor of Borno State in Nigeria’s northeast, condemned the “atrocious attack”.

“On behalf of the government and the good people of Borno, I convey our heartfelt condolences to the armed forces and families of the deceased over the demise of our fellow compatriots. May Allah rest their souls and grant fortitude to the affected families.”

He said the attack was “a painful reminder of the callousness of insurgents who are bent on reversing the gains made in the mass resettlement of internally displaced persons back to their ancestral homes in northern Borno.

Zulum said the attack would “not deter the government from carrying out its constitutional duty of providing the dividends of democracy”.

He thanked the armed forces and security agencies for “standing in harm’s way to secure our territory and way of life”.

“We are eternally grateful to our gallant military and security forces for all they have been doing to safeguard lives and property in our state. The Kareto attack is a painful reminder of the heinous desperation of the adversary to torpedo our modest achievements and cause panic in our communities.

“I call on our good people to stand firm, not to waver, and to support the armed forces as they work daily to confront our collective threats.”

Zulum said the Borno State government would continue to work closely with the armed forces to secure the country and provide development.

“Be rest assured that the Borno State government, under my watch, will continue to work closely with the armed forces to execute our development and peacebuidling programmes.”

– Six Fulani women and two fishermen are still being held captive after they were kidnapped by suspected JAS fighters on Thursday, November 14.

There has been an escalation of kidnappings in the Lake Chad Basin region since Chadian troops launched counteroperations against insurgents after 40 of its soldiers were killed in an raid on a military base in Ngouboua, a village on the island of Bakaram.

Another 17 Chadian soldiers were killed and 32 wounded in clashes with insurgents on the shores of Lake Chad on Saturday, November 9.

Residents in the Lake Chad Basin region reported seeing hundreds of insurgents fleeing as Chadian troops intensified counteroperations.

“Some are fleeing in vehicles and on motorbikes; others are running or walking, most of them barefooted.

“We have seen the insurgents leaving their hideouts. Most of them are coming from the Kukawa Local Government Area and crossing into communities such as Gashayar and Ngarmu in Malam Fatori town, the headquarters of the Abadam Local Government Area which borders Damasak town, the headquarters of Mobbar,” said a resident of Mobbar, who asked to remain anonymous.

In their haste to escape – and to get cash, food and mobile phones – insurgents were kidnapping locals for ransom.

An elderly man from Baga town in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI: “At least 42 Boko Haram insurgents abducted six Fulani women and five fishermen at Karwaram, also known as Malam-Karamti, on Thursday [November 14].

“The insurgents were starving. An eyewitness said they were eating raw, uncooked rice they stole from the women because they were so hungry.

“On the way to their hideout, the fighters killed two of the fishermen. One of the deceased was identified as Dan Lokum. We could not identify the other man killed but we know for sure he was a fisherman.

“The insurgents released one of the remaining fisherman, Alhaji Modu, on Friday. They told him to tell the families of the six women and two fishermen to pay the ransom immediately if they wanted to see their loved ones again.

“We are making contributions to try to meet their demands. The son of the village head is one of the men being held in captivity.

“We are praying to the Almighty to bring an end to this catastrophe. May the Almighty return peace to Nigeria and other neighbouring countries.

“We know the Nigerian army and the Civilian Joint Task Force [CJTF] are really trying to protect us. But, as everyone knows, it is not the will of mankind or our might that will bring an end to all this. It is only the Almighty who can bring an end to it. We are praying fervently.”

Hassan Baga, a resident of Baga town, said: “The released fisherman, Alhaji Modu, told us there were many insurgents, all heavily armed.

“Going by their accents, the fighters were not citizens of Nigeria. They sounded as if they came from Cameroon or Niger. They were speaking a foreign language.

“Modu said the insurgents took them to a boat on the shore and crossed the water on a canoe.

“When the fighters found ₦60,000 in Modu’s pocket, they let him go. Now we are praying for the safe return of the others.”

– Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, accompanied by Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa, the chief of defence intelligence, Major-General Emmanuel Undiandeye, and the force commander of the Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF), Major-General Ali Salau, as well as other senior security officials, travelled to Chad for a meeting with President Mahamat Idriss Déby Into on Sunday, November 17.

The Chadian government recently pulled out of the MNJTF.

The delegation delivered a written message from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to Déby, in which he expressed his heartfelt condolences and unwavering support for the Chadian president and people following the recent attack on Barkaram Island.

“This meeting underscores the strong ties between Chad and Nigeria, especially in addressing regional security challenges and combating terrorism.

“Both nations remain committed to strengthening collaboration to promote peace and stability in the Lake Chad Basin region.”

AYSHA MUSTAPHA KOLOMI