JUST hours after the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, departed Borno State, fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) launched a deadly attack on Mayenti town in Bama Local Government Area, killing at least eight civilians while several soldiers were reported missing.
The brazen assault, which occurred Monday evening, has once again underscored the fragile security situation in the region despite intensified military operations.
Security sources told News Point Nigeria that troops of Operation Hadin Kai engaged the insurgents in a fierce gun battle after the attackers stormed the community on multiple motorcycles and gun trucks, attempting to overrun the military base stationed there.
A senior security operative familiar with the incident told News Point Nigeria that the ISWAP fighters arrived in large numbers, opening fire on both civilians and security personnel.
“We lost eight civilians, four members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and four local labourers,” the source said.
“Some soldiers are still missing after the terrorists attacked our village.”
Mayenti, the scene of Monday’s attack, borders Dara Jamal, a community where terrorists massacred more than 60 people in September.
Residents say the village has been under sustained pressure from insurgents seeking to re-establish control in the axis.
According to the security source, the terrorists retreated with the bodies of their fallen fighters. In frustration, they set ablaze two trucks belonging to the Borno State Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) before fleeing the scene.
Investigations reveal that the attack may have been anticipated.
For at least three days, intelligence reports indicated that ISWAP fighters were amassing around the Mayenti and Dara Jamal corridor in preparation for a major offensive.
However, despite the buildup, no preemptive strike was carried out to neutralise the threat.
The attack occurred mere hours after the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, concluded his visit to Borno State, where he had met with frontline troops and assessed ongoing counterterrorism operations.
The timing of the attack has raised concerns about whether ISWAP deliberately waited for the military high command to leave before launching their offensive.
The Nigerian military has yet to issue an official statement as search operations continue for the missing soldiers and efforts intensify to track the fleeing insurgents.