A top Nigerian Army officer, Brigadier General M. Uba, has been killed by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after the terrorists allegedly intercepted and tracked his live location along the Damboa–Biu axis of Borno State, multiple military sources confirmed on Sunday.
The senior officer, who commanded the 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, was abducted late Friday during a violent ambush that also claimed the lives of soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.
He was later executed after a brief interrogation in captivity.
It was gathered that the attack occurred shortly after General Uba led a successful joint air–ground offensive against insurgents in the area.
The troops, advancing through a route that had been booby-trapped, came under a heavy ambush that forced the commander to order a tactical withdrawal and issue a distress call.
“He confirmed to his superiors that he was safe and regrouping with his men,” a senior military source said .
“Unfortunately, that conversation may have exposed his coordinates. The terrorists picked the signal, trailed him and captured him alive.”
Another officer familiar with the rescue attempts disclosed that the abducted commander still had access to his phone under duress.
“Even yesterday morning, he managed to make a video call to his dry cleaner,” the source said.
“He warned him not to speak, meaning he was surrounded and being watched. That was the last trace of him.”
According to intelligence reports, ISWAP fighters summarily executed the commander after interrogating him.
One soldier abducted alongside him but shot in the leg was reportedly abandoned in the bush and later rescued.
The Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, and other top commanders had stormed Damboa on Saturday to coordinate search and rescue operations for the missing officer and other soldiers.
“Troops traced the live location he sent, but they found nothing. It is unclear whether his device was seized or went off,” another military source revealed.
Troops engaged in the rescue efforts were withdrawn early Sunday, even as the Army appointed Brigadier General Mustapha as the new head of the 26 Task Force Brigade pending formal confirmation.
The ambush comes amid a resurgence in ISWAP attacks targeting military convoys and rural communities in Borno.
Security analysts warn that the terrorists’ ability to intercept communication signals underscores the need for improved operational security and encrypted field communication.
“We cannot continue to lose commanders this way,” one officer said. “It’s a huge blow to morale and a worrying indication of the enemy’s technological reach.”
The Nigerian Army had initially denied that the 25 Brigade Commander was abducted, but soldiers in the Damboa axis confirmed he was missing until news of his killing surfaced.
The military is yet to issue an official statement on the death of the senior officer.
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