A Nigerian Army Brigadier-General narrowly escaped death and returned to base on foot after a deadly ambush by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) near Sabon Gari in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, military and civilian security sources confirmed on Sunday.
The high-ranking officer went missing for several hours following the attack, sparking intense concern among troops and local security volunteers before he eventually reappeared at the military base, exhausted but alive. His temporary disappearance marks an unprecedented moment in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency campaign — the first time a serving General directly engaged on the frontline has gone missing, even briefly, during an ambush.
According to field reports, ISWAP operatives had positioned themselves along the convoy’s route before opening fire on the mixed team of soldiers and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members travelling toward Bongry. The ambush, which occurred along the Biu Road, left two soldiers and two CJTF operatives dead.
A CJTF member in Nzula, close to the attack site, said the convoy was hit without warning. “It was on the Biu Road,” he told HumAngle, requesting anonymity due to safety concerns. “The convoy consisted of the military and members of the CJTF.”
Another resident in Damboa familiar with the movement of the troops said the team left the town around 2pm in two Hilux vans, two armoured personnel carriers, and several motorcycles. “The terrorists killed two soldiers and two CJTF,” he added. “They also took away some motorcycles. Reinforcement later departed from Damboa once the incident happened.”
The most dramatic twist came when the Brigade Commander, who was part of the operation, could not be accounted for after the ambush. A senior CJTF member in Damboa confirmed that efforts to locate him were initially unsuccessful. “We don’t know where he is at the moment. But he responds to WhatsApp messages,” he said at the time.
After hours of uncertainty, the Commander made his way back to base on foot, having navigated through hostile territory in the aftermath of the attack. Security sources described his survival as a “narrow escape” from heavily armed militants.
The incident has heightened concerns about ISWAP’s growing operational sophistication and the increasing risks faced by senior military officers deployed to insurgency-prone areas. Damboa and neighbouring communities have suffered repeated attacks in recent months, including ambushes on rural roads, raids on farming settlements, and assaults on patrol teams.
Residents say the latest ambush underscores the persistent insecurity along major routes despite years of sustained military operations.