Manny Ita
At least nine Nigerian soldiers have been confirmed killed and 22 others remain missing following a sophisticated ambush by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Mobbar Local Government Area. The attack, which targeted a military patrol on Friday, January 23, 2026, has prompted a large-scale search-and-rescue operation that entered its sixth day this morning, Thursday, January 29.
According to military and militia sources, the commanding officer of the Damasak military base, a Major, was leading a foot patrol of approximately 30 soldiers when they were intercepted by insurgents about 25 kilometers from their base. The attackers utilized a combination of pre-planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and heavy gunfire to disperse the unit. “The terrorists detonated an explosive device they had planted on the road in advance, increasing the casualties and confusion among the soldiers,” a military officer told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
Initial reports from the scene indicated that only eight soldiers managed to return to the base immediately following the engagement. While the bodies of nine personnel, including the Major, were later recovered by a reinforcement team, 22 soldiers are still classified as missing. Conflicting reports emerged regarding the Major’s status after his mobile phone was reportedly answered by an individual claiming to be an insurgent. One source stated, “Someone answers his phone each time his base tries to reach him, indicating he is in the hands of ISWAP,” though other security officials maintain the officer was killed during the initial fire-fight.
The ambush marks another high-profile casualty for the Nigerian Army in the North-East, following the death of Brigadier General Musa Uba in a similar attack late last year. Ya-Mulam Kadai, a spokesman for a government-funded anti-jihadist militia assisting the military in Damasak, confirmed the recovery of the nine bodies, stating that search teams are continuing to scan the “difficult terrain” for the remaining personnel. As of Thursday morning, the Nigerian Army headquarters has not issued a formal statement regarding the specific identities of the missing or the progress of the rescue mission.
