Marte, Borno State — Fear and disillusionment have gripped Nigerian soldiers following a devastating Boko Haram attack on a forward operating base in Marte, Borno State, which left five personnel dead and forced several troops to abandon their posts.
The daring assault took place in the early hours of Monday, when suspected Boko Haram insurgents overran the military installation, looted weapons and equipment, and escaped with multiple vehicles, including one belonging to the base’s Commanding Officer.
Multiple military sources, speaking under anonymity due to lack of authorisation, confirmed that some soldiers who witnessed the attack have fled back to their hometowns, unwilling to continue fighting under what they described as unsafe and demoralising conditions.
“After the operation, they burnt everything. They destroyed all our facilities and carted away arms. They even left with our Commanding Officer’s vehicle. All the new motorbikes issued to us—they took them too,” one source recounted.
The incident has exposed not only the vulnerability of troops stationed in the North-East but also allegations of internal betrayal. Another military source claimed that the attack may have been facilitated by a trusted member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
“A civilian Joint Task Force member, someone we trusted, sold us out. He led the insurgents to our camp. His name is Sharu. He was close to our adjutant and considered part of the team,” the soldier alleged.
The fallout has triggered a wave of fear among civilians as well. Residents of surrounding communities have reportedly fled to safer towns including Dikwa, Lukumani, and Mafa, fearing further attacks by the emboldened insurgents.
Military commanders are now grappling with the consequences of a conflict that appears to be gaining renewed momentum.
Responding to the attack, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, pointed to the instability in the wider Sahel region as a key factor fueling the resurgence of insurgent activities in Borno State.
Speaking at a press briefing in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Abubakar explained that deteriorating security in Sahelian countries had led to a surge in arms smuggling into Nigeria through porous borders, supplying insurgent groups with deadly firepower.
“What is happening in Nigeria is not unconnected to the situation in the greater Sahel region where barracks in neighbouring countries are being ransacked and weapons carted away. These arms eventually make their way into Nigeria, thereby re-energising the fight,” Abubakar said.
He acknowledged the complexity of the ongoing conflict and the challenges facing counterinsurgency operations, particularly with the emergence of sophisticated tactics by terrorists, including the deployment of weaponised drones.
“Since November last year, we have observed the use of armed drones to carry out attacks—similar to what is happening in Israel and Ukraine. These drones are difficult to detect using conventional radar systems,” he noted.
Despite recent setbacks, the commander expressed confidence in the Armed Forces’ ability to prevail, though he cautioned that losses are inevitable in any prolonged conflict.
“In war, you win some, you lose some. But what’s most important is the ratio of what you win against what you lose,” he concluded.
