Brigadier General U. Uba, Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, has reportedly been killed by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), following a violent ambush in Borno State.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed that the senior officer had earlier recorded a short video confirming he was safe after initially going missing. According to him, the commander later became disoriented while navigating the forested area where the attack occurred.
Makama stated that troops—supported by air assets—made intensive attempts to retrieve the commander after he informed colleagues that he was trying to make his way back to base. However, he was reportedly captured again by insurgents after news of his disappearance spread online.
The fatal ambush took place late Friday night as ISWAP militants targeted a convoy of soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) escorting the brigade’s patrol team. The unit had been deployed to secure communities around Wajiroko in the Azir Multe axis of Damboa Local Government Area.
Armed with heavy-caliber weapons, the insurgents were said to have launched a coordinated assault, resulting in multiple casualties and heightening fear among residents of the northeast. Reports from HumAngle also described the incident as an “unprecedented escalation,” noting that a serving Brigade Commander was taken alongside several troops.
Army Debunks Kidnap Claims
In contrast to the circulating reports, the Nigerian Army has firmly denied that Brig.-Gen. Uba was abducted.
Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, confirmed that the troops came under intense enemy fire while returning from a successful operation on the outskirts of Sambisa Forest. She said the soldiers repelled the ambush with “superior firepower,” forcing the attackers to retreat.
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Anele acknowledged that two soldiers and two CJTF operatives were killed during the confrontation but dismissed narratives alleging that the Brigade Commander was captured.
“The general public is advised to disregard the misleading reports making rounds online,” she stated, emphasizing that the army remains committed to ongoing counterterrorism operations in the region.
