On Friday, January 24, 2025, Boko Haram militants attacked the Nigerian Army’s 149 Battalion in Malam-Fatori, Borno State. This assault resulted in the deaths of over 20 military personnel, including the battalion’s commanding officer, two senior officers, and the base’s medical director. Many soldiers sustained serious injuries, and several remain missing.
Malam-Fatori, located near the Nigeria-Niger border, currently shelters thousands displaced by the insurgency. The attackers used multiple gun trucks, destroying numerous buildings and military vehicles during the raid.
This incident follows a recent attack on the military’s Forward Operating Base in Damboa Local Government Area, also in Borno State, where several soldiers were killed or went missing.
The Nigerian Army has often stated that the insurgency is largely defeated, but such attacks highlight ongoing security challenges in the region.
