The attack took place late on Friday as a convoy led by Brigadier-General M. Uba of the 25 Task Force Brigade returned from a patrol near Wajiroko village. According to the army, the convoy came under heavy and sustained gunfire, leaving four soldiers dead.
The Nigerian military has rejected reports that Brig-Gen Uba was abducted, calling them “fake news” and urging the public not to spread unverified information circulating online. Army officials have not directly commented on ISWAP’s latest statement.
ISWAP, via its Amaq propaganda channel, claimed responsibility for the ambush and alleged that it captured and later executed the officer identified as a brigade commander after interrogation. The claim has not been independently verified.
Borno remains the centre of Nigeria’s long-running conflict with Boko Haram and ISWAP. Despite ongoing military operations, insurgents have repeatedly attacked army positions and remote communities in recent months, often withdrawing only when reinforcements arrive.
The recent spike in violence has heightened concerns about the safety of front-line troops and the overall resilience of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency strategy, now in its 16th year.