Suspected Boko Haram fighters have launched a daring overnight raid on a Nigerian Army barracks in Banki, Borno State, forcing soldiers to retreat and making away with a cache of military weapons.
According to a Reuters report citing residents and security sources, the attack began late Thursday and continued into the early hours of Friday, shaking the border town near Cameroon and exposing the persistent threat of insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast.
Witnesses said the heavily armed insurgents stormed the military facility around 9:30 p.m. local time, engaging troops in a fierce gun battle before overwhelming the defenses.
Soldiers were forced to abandon their positions, with some fleeing toward neighboring Cameroon.
By dawn, the attackers had seized weapons and ammunition, leaving the barracks in disarray.
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At least seven bodies were reportedly seen after the raid, including those of three soldiers, though casualty figures have not been independently verified.
The Nigerian Army has yet to release an official statement on the incident, but residents described the attack as one of the most audacious in recent months.
Banki, which has endured repeated assaults by Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), sits in a volatile region where military and humanitarian operations are often targeted.
The latest strike raises concerns about the security of frontline troops and the loss of vital military hardware that could strengthen the insurgents’ capabilities.
The raid underscores the enduring challenge of Boko Haram’s insurgency more than a decade after the conflict began. Despite sustained military campaigns, the group continues to launch deadly attacks on both civilians and security installations, highlighting the fragile state of peace in Borno and the wider Lake Chad region.
As residents of Banki count their losses and await military reinforcements, fears remain high that the insurgents may attempt further incursions before the Nigerian Army regains control of the area.
