Barely six hours after the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, concluded his operational visit to Borno State, terrorists launched another deadly attack, killing at least eight civilians.
The assault, carried out by fighters from the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), took place on Monday night at Mayenti, a community in Bama Local Government Area. Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, however, successfully repelled the attack.
TV360 gathered that the insurgents stormed Mayenti using motorcycles and gun trucks in an attempt to overrun a military base in the area. The military foiled the attack but four members of the local volunteer security group lost their lives in the confrontation. Additionally, four soldiers have been declared missing following the incident, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
While retreating with the bodies of their fallen fighters, the terrorists set ablaze two trucks belonging to the Borno State Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement and killed four laborers working nearby.
Sources also revealed that ISWAP militants had been gathering around the Mayenti–Dara Jamal axis for at least three days ahead of the attack. Dara Jamal, a neighboring village, previously suffered a massacre in September, during which more than 60 people were killed.
Sources say the recent withdrawal of Super Tucano aircraft, specialized fighter pilots, and key Nigerian Air Force assets from the North East has weakened aerial support for ground operations allowing terrorists greater mobility and escape opportunities after attacks.
Monday’s attack came shortly after ISWAP released a video confirming the killing of Brigadier General M. Uba, who was captured over the weekend after initially breaking a terrorist ambush but later lost communication with his troops.
Reports suggest that General Uba managed to contact the military high command, prompting a deployment of rescue teams but the operation was unsuccessful. ISWAP announced his death on Monday.
Sourced revealed to TV360 that limited air assets may have hindered rapid response efforts both in preventing the Mayenti attack and in rescuing General Uba.
This renewed wave of assaults follows growing concerns amplified by recent statements from U.S. officials suggesting that Nigeria currently lacks the capability to fully neutralize insurgent threats.
Meanwhile, citizens across the country are demanding justice for General Uba and calling for a decisive military operation to dismantle terrorist enclaves once and for all.
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