Military Must Tell Us How Terrorists Invaded Base In Borno, Killed 20 Soldiers

I don’t intend to raise any alarm or cry wolf where there’s none. But our national security is under red alert threat!

At least 20 soldiers were reportedly killed when terrorists attacked the Nigerian Army 149 Battalion in Malam-Fatori, a Borno town linking Nigeria and Niger Republic. Among those killed was an unnamed lieutenant colonel, who was the commanding officer of the base, according to Reuters.

The report, published on January 24, claimed that several other soldiers were injured in the attack. Locals and security sources told the news agency that the terrorists, who came on gun trucks, attacked the base, shooting at unsuspecting locals and soldiers.

After reading the news, I waited for an explanation from the Army to know exactly what happened and how a group of terrorists was able to ambush a whole army battalion and kill the commanding officer along with 20 others while injuring several others.

For those who may not know, an army battalion comprises about 1,000 soldiers, combat arms as well as combat support. But surprisingly, a statement issued on the incident by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, on January 26, did not mention anything about the attack on the military base.

Instead, the military issued a statement on “Troops Invasion of Terrorist Enclave in North East…”, where it stated that troops of Operation HADIN KAI conducted a clearance Operation to a renowned terrorist stronghold and enclave known as Timbuktu Triangle.

The statement said the operation, which is still ongoing, began on January 16. The Military said its troops recorded several encounters with terrorists during the course of the clearance operations which resulted in over 70 terrorists’ combatants, including 3 notable terrorist commanders neutralized.

The most intriguing part of the statement was where Major General Buba tried to explain how the soldiers were killed by terrorists.

He said, “Meanwhile during the operations, the terrorists deployed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Person Bourne Improvised Explosive Devices (suicide bombers) as well as Vehicle Bourne Improvised Explosive Devices (suicide bombers in explosive vehicles) to ward off troops advance and attacks. Troops already familiar with the terrorist tactics thwarted the several terrorists’ attempts, including shooting down the amateur drones used by the terrorist.

“Overall, during the course of the operations, troops sadly recorded 22 killed in action casualties with several others wounded in action. On this account, the media is enjoined to resist publishing names of troop casualties to allow the formal notification of their next of kin.”

I found it fascinating that the statement by the Military spokesman did not mention anything about terrorists attacking the 149 Battalion and killing the commander of the base. There’s no valid reason why that omission could have been an oversight especially when AFP claimed it sent messages to the Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, who didn’t reply before publishing its report. The Military also never debunked the report.

Rather, I sensed an attempt to cover up a tragic official negligence which claimed the lives of our soldiers. How were terrorists able to ambush an army battalion with the increased funding of the Military, including purchase of military hardware.

The Federal Government has substantially increased funding for the Military in recent times. According to BudgIT, the security and defence budget increased significantly in 2024 from N2.79tn in 2023 to N3.85tn ($5.13bn), representing a 37.99% increase. A breakdown showed that 42.8% of the budget was spent on the Military while the other security services, including the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Police, shared the rest.

In general terms, a military battalion is supposed to be protected through a combination of security measures like perimeter patrols, observation posts, and defensive positions, combined with passive security measures like camouflage, intelligence gathering.

Military formations also rely on coordinated fire support, close air support, and the overall battlefield strategy to minimize threats and ensure they don’t fall under enemy firepower. An army battalion is expected to have its own support elements, such as artillery, logistics, and communication.

So, what happened at 149 battalion? The military must be transparent about its operations if it wants the support of Nigerians. Did the 22 soldiers that lost their lives die during clearance operations or when terrorists attacked the army battalion? Did they die during active combat operations against insurgents who were attacked at their base?

That is the question the Military has not answered and may never answer. It’s my informed guess that someone was not proud about what happened and they’re trying to cover up.

The National Assembly committees on the army must not allow the matter to be buried. It is part of their oversight role to ask questions about developments such as what happened at the 149 battalion. It’s even a surprise that members of the committee in both chambers of NASS have not raised an eyebrow over the death of 22 soldiers in their barracks!

I have the highest esteem for our soldiers who confront dangers daily to protect us. They are always ready to sacrifice their own lives to ensure we’re protected from enemy harm. Reports had also indicated that our armies are among the most professional in the world.

But after several years of fighting insurgency, complacency may be creeping in on the troops and their commanding officers. I don’t want to believe speculations that the war on terrorism has become a thriving business for the top hierarchy of the Military. But events, such as the attack on 149 battalion, seem to vindicate those holding such views.

I remember former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, also held such a view. I don’t know if he still holds the view or if he’s feeling vindicated. I was among a group of journalists who visited him at the Government House Owerri during a Nigeria Media Merit Award event in the city.

It was at a time that kidnapping was rampant in the state and then Governor Okorocha was able to put a stop to it. He told us how he succeeded in ending kidnapping in the state and why insurgency will not end in Nigeria.

“Fighting insurgency has become an industry in Nigeria,” he said boldly, adding for emphasis, that the war will go on for as long as the Military wants it to last! It was a discomforting theory but one which appears to be proving true.

As a newspaper editor, I have published hundreds of press statements from the Military given the account of hundreds of terrorists that have been killed since 2009 when insurgency became active in Nigeria. Yet, instead of waning, terrorism has continued to be reinvigorated and energized.

Let our federal lawmakers probe the attack on 149 battalions. It may give us a clue on why Nigeria is yet to achieve success with the war of terrorism. If lawmakers do not have the capacity to do the investigation, they can engage military experts to do it for them.

Or let the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, take it up. We need answers and someone must be held accountable.

Tajudeen Suleiman is an Abuja based Journalist.

Military Must Tell Us How Terrorists Invaded Base In Borno, Killed 20 Soldiers is first published on The Whistler Newspaper