ABUJA, Nigeria (SCANS) — Suspected fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province attacked a Nigerian military base in northeastern Borno state early Monday, killing a senior army officer and several soldiers, security sources said.
The assault targeted the Kajeri military camp near Banki Junction in Borno, a state that has been at the center of a long-running insurgency by extremist groups linked to the Islamic State.
The attackers launched a coordinated raid in the early hours, engaging troops in a prolonged gun battle, according to the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity.
Among those killed was Major U.I. Mairiga, along with several other military personnel. The exact number of casualties was not immediately clear. Losses were also reported among the attackers after troops mounted resistance, the sources said.
As of the time of reporting, Nigerian military authorities had not issued an official statement on the incident. Reinforcements were deployed to the area to secure the base and prevent further attacks, according to the security sources.
Borno state, in Nigeria’s northeast, has witnessed more than a decade of violence by insurgent groups, including ISWAP and Boko Haram, despite repeated government assurances that the militants have been largely degraded.
