iDeemlawfulAn army general has reportedly been abducted, with multiple soldiers and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members killed after Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) ambushed a Nigerian military convoy in Borno State.
According to HumAngle, a platform that reports on conflict and humanitarian issues, the attack happened around 5 p.m. yesterday near Sabon Gari in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.
The insurgents, who were positioned along the route, ambushed a joint convoy of troops and CJTF members, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers and two CJTF operatives.
The abducted general is said to be a brigade commander who was leading the team during the mission.
A CJTF operative in Nzula, close to where the ambush occurred, informed the outlet that the convoy was heading toward Bongry when it was intercepted. “It was on the Biu Road,” he stated, insisting on anonymity for safety. “The convoy consisted of the military and members of the CJTF.”
A Damboa resident who was aware of their movement said the convoy left the area around 2 p.m. with two Hilux trucks, two armoured personnel carriers, and several motorcycles.
“The terrorists killed two soldiers and two CJTF,” he said. “They also took away some motorcycles. Reinforcement later left Damboa – two Hilux and two armoured vehicles – when the incident happened.”
According to HumAngle; “this would be the first recorded instance of any extremist group in Nigeria capturing a serving General directly from the frontline.”
While insurgents have killed senior military officers in past incidents, including those previously reported here and here, the abduction of a top-ranking officer is rare.
The military has not yet issued a statement, and the exact casualty numbers remain uncertain.
The Nigerian Army spokesperson, Onyechi Anele, a lieutenant colonel, has yet to respond to a message concerning the incident.
