Unknown gunmen launched a pre-dawn assault on a Nigerian army base in the insurgency-affected Marte district of Borno State early Monday, capturing soldiers and seizing ammunition.
The attackers, suspected to be members of Boko Haram or Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), arrived on motorbikes and gun trucks and overwhelmed the 153 Task Force Battalion around 2:00 AM GMT.
Surviving soldiers retreated to the 24 Task Force Brigade in nearby Dikwa, where they regrouped and mounted a counter-attack that eventually reclaimed the base.
Several troops were reportedly killed or taken captive during the raid, though the exact toll remains unconfirmed.
Militants also destroyed anti-mine resistance vehicles and looted military equipment during the siege, according to a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a militia assisting the military in fighting jihadists.
This latest attack underscores a growing resurgence in insurgent activity across northeast Nigeria, driven by reduced hostilities between Boko Haram and ISWAP and the adoption of advanced tactics, including armed drones and roadside explosives.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
