A major Boko Haram attack has left many Nigerian soldiers feared dead after insurgents overran a military base in Borno State.
The assault occurred around midnight on Thursday when the terrorists stormed the 152 Task Force Battalion base in Banki town, Bama Local Government Area, forcing troops to abandon their positions.
Witnesses and security sources told SaharaReporters that the insurgents looted the base, destroying armoured personnel carriers, setting military vehicles ablaze, and carting away a large quantity of ammunition.
“152 TF Battalion near Banki town was completely overrun by Boko Haram terrorists. They occupied the base for several hours, seized weapons, and destroyed facilities. Casualties are still being counted,” one security source revealed.
Another source said many surviving soldiers fled into neighbouring Cameroon for safety. “The base is close to the Cameroon border, and several of our men are still missing,” the source added.
The 152 Battalion is part of Operation Hadin Kai, the Nigerian military’s counter-insurgency mission in the Northeast.
For nearly two decades, Boko Haram and its splinter groups have waged a brutal insurgency in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, killing more than 100,000 people and displacing millions.
Despite repeated assurances from the military that the group has been degraded, attacks on bases and communities have continued. Soldiers have repeatedly complained about poor equipment and inadequate support, alleging they are being sent to face insurgents who are often better armed.
