Maiduguri, Nigeria – May 13, 2025
- * Soldiers Missing Amid Rising Insurgency
Suspected Islamist militants launched a brazen attack on a Nigerian army base in Borno’s Marte Local Government Area in the early hours of Monday, May 12, 2025, leaving several soldiers dead, injured, and missing, according to security sources. The assault, attributed to either Boko Haram or its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), marks a troubling escalation in the region’s long-running insurgency, raising fears of a major militant resurgence.
The attack targeted the 153 Task Force Battalion base in Marte district, a remote area near Lake Chad, starting around 2:00 AM GMT. A soldier who escaped the assault described how the militants, arriving on motorbikes and gun trucks, laid siege to the base in a coordinated strike. “They killed many of our soldiers while some were captured alive by the insurgents while we were withdrawing from the attack,” the soldier told Reuters, speaking anonymously due to security concerns. The Nigerian troops were forced to retreat to the larger 24 Task Force Brigade in nearby Dikwa district, where they regrouped and launched a counterattack that eventually retook the base.
While exact casualty figures remain unconfirmed, security sources report that several soldiers were killed, with others feared captured or missing. The militants also seized ammunition and military equipment during the raid, further bolstering their arsenal. Posts on X reflect public alarm, with users expressing outrage over the attack and the growing insecurity in Borno, though these sentiments remain unverified.
The assault comes amid a surge in attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP in 2025, fueled by a lull in infighting between the two factions and their adoption of advanced tactics, including armed drones and explosive devices on major roads. Security experts note that both groups have exploited the Nigerian military’s overstretched resources, as troops are also deployed to combat banditry in the northwest and separatist violence in the southeast. Borno state’s governor, Babagana Zulum, has repeatedly warned of a Boko Haram resurgence, a concern underscored by recent violence that has claimed dozens of lives, including farmers and fishermen targeted in coordinated raids.
The 15-year conflict in Nigeria’s northeast, centered in Borno, has killed nearly 40,000 people and displaced over two million, according to UN estimates. Boko Haram, founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf, seeks to establish an Islamic state, while ISWAP, which split from Boko Haram in 2016, has focused on military targets but also engages in civilian taxation and violence. Despite military efforts, including operations by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, both groups remain resilient, operating in hard-to-reach rural areas like the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa Forest.
See Also: Boko Haram, ISWAP Still ‘Very Dangerous,’ North-East Needs $1bn Aid – UN
Critics of the Nigerian military argue that systemic issues, including poor equipment and low morale, have hampered efforts to contain the insurgency. Amnesty International has documented allegations of military abuses, including arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings, which have alienated local communities and potentially driven recruitment for militant groups. The government’s strategy of concentrating rural populations in garrison towns, intended to protect civilians, has instead allowed militants to operate freely in the countryside, according to analysts.
The Nigerian government has vowed to “crush” the insurgents, increasing its defense budget by over 40% this year. However, the latest attack raises questions about the effectiveness of current strategies, especially as militants continue to adapt and exploit vulnerabilities. The Marte assault, coming on the heels of similar attacks in Malam-Fatori and Wajiroko earlier this year, signals that Boko Haram and ISWAP remain formidable threats, capable of challenging Nigeria’s military in its strongholds.
As the military works to account for missing troops and secure the region, the attack once again makes nonsense of Nigeria’s counterinsurgency approach. With the humanitarian crisis deepening—over seven million in need of assistance in the northeast—the government faces mounting pressure to address both the security and socioeconomic drivers of the conflict. For now, the people of Borno remain caught in the crossfire, as the specter of militancy continues to haunt Nigeria’s northeast.