Suspected Boko Haram militants have killed a commanding officer and seven Nigerian soldiers in a deadly ambush in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State, security sources confirmed.
The attack occurred on Monday, January 26, 2026, when military personnel were deployed on patrol in the northeast region, a persistent flashpoint for insurgent activity. The soldiers were reportedly ambushed by heavily armed insurgents, forcing a fierce gunfight that resulted in multiple casualties.
Troops later recovered the bodies of the deceased, including a newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel, who was leading the patrol from Maiduguri toward Damasak. Several other soldiers were reported injured, and an undetermined number remain missing as the situation continues to develop.
Security sources, quoted by international agencies, also reported that a significant number of personnel, including the commanding officer, may have been captured by the militants during the encounter, although details remain unconfirmed by official military statements.
The killing of frontline troops adds to longstanding concerns about the capacity of insurgent cells to conduct coordinated attacks despite ongoing counter‑insurgency operations by the Nigerian military and allied forces in the region. Boko Haram, and its breakaway faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), continue to exploit complex terrain and mobility to strike security formations in northeastern Nigeria.
Officials have not yet released a comprehensive casualty list or identified the commanding officer by name, but authorities are expected to issue a formal response as the investigation progresses and reinforcements secure the affected area.
