Tension has deepened once again in Borno State following a deadly raid on a military base in Mayenti, Bama Local Government Area, where terrorists struck late Sunday, killing four members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and leaving four soldiers unaccounted for.

Security operatives told Premium Times that the insurgents—believed to be fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)—rode into the area on motorcycles and attempted to capture the military position. Mayenti, located close to Dara Jamal, has endured a string of violent attacks, including the massacre of more than 60 residents in September.

Troops under Operation Hadin Kai reportedly engaged the attackers in a prolonged firefight, neutralizing several insurgents before forcing the rest to retreat. Despite the military’s effort, the ambush resulted in the deaths of four CJTF personnel, and the whereabouts of four soldiers remain unknown.

As they fled, the terrorists set fire to two trucks belonging to the Borno State Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement. They also murdered four labourers working in the vicinity, further compounding the devastation.

The attack unfolded only hours after the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, concluded an operational tour of Borno State — underscoring the unpredictability and reach of insurgent elements in the region.

The Mayenti assault also came on the heels of the release of a chilling ISWAP video showing the execution of Brigadier-General Samaila Uba. The senior officer had earlier survived an ambush on Saturday but became isolated from his troops while waiting for reinforcements. ISWAP militants later captured and killed him, sparking widespread condemnation across Nigeria.

Zulum Renews Pressure for High-Tech Warfare Tools

Responding to the escalating hostilities, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum doubled down on his call for the deployment of drones and advanced surveillance technologies. He argued that Nigeria’s security forces need modern tools to track and target terrorist enclaves across Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains and the Lake Chad basin.

Zulum also urged the Federal Government to boost funding for the military and the Multinational Joint Task Force, stressing that defeating terrorism requires “a united national resolve.”

Political Reactions and Growing International Scrutiny

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described the killing of Brigadier-General Uba as a dangerous turning point in Nigeria’s fight against insurgency. He accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to secure the country and urged the President to “act decisively or step aside,” warning that Nigeria “cannot continue on this trajectory.”

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The recent surge in ISWAP operations has drawn global concern, heightened further by remarks from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who sharply criticized Nigeria’s handling of extremist attacks.

The renewed violence comes only weeks after President Tinubu appointed a fresh lineup of military service chiefs — a decision many hoped would reinvigorate the counterinsurgency campaign. Instead, the latest attacks have reignited public anxiety over whether Nigeria can stem the resurgence of terrorist activity in the North-East.