Tension as Boko Haram Kills, Captures Soldiers in Borno Military Base

• An unspecified number of soldiers have been killed during an attack on a base of the Nigerian Army in Borno state
• Suspected Boko Haram terrorists captured some soldiers during the attack that occurred on Monday, May 12, 2025
• According to local and security sources, the terrorists attacked the Forward Operation Base of the 153 Task Force Battalion

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Borno state - Suspected Boko Haram terrorists killed an unspecified number of soldiers after attacking a base of the Nigerian Army in the Marte local government area of Borno state.

The attack occurred at the Forward Operation Base of the 153 Task Force Battalion, around 3:00 am on Monday, May 12, 2025.

As reported by Daily Trust, one of the security officials said the troops were dislodged and many soldiers were captured during the attack.

Local and security sources also confirmed the attack on the military base.

The source, who did not want his name mentioned, said:

“ISWAP has taken over Marte, an unspecified number of soldiers were killed, some captured and many have deserted. They ran towards Dikwa, and are currently at the 24 Task Force Brigade, Dikwa.

“The terrorists also burnt down armoured tanks and made away with arms and ammunition from the base”

A source in Dikwa, 38 kilometres from Marte, said gunshots were heard, and a fighter jet of the Nigerian Air Force was seen hovering in the area.

According to Vanguard, efforts are ongoing to assess the full extent of the damage and recover control of the area.

The attack is part of a series of recent offensives by terrorists in the north-east region of the country.

Boko Haram guns down Army captain in Borno

Recall that an army captain was reportedly gunned down during a Boko Haram attack in the Izge community of Gwoza LGA of Borno state.

During the attack, the terrorists reportedly killed other soldiers and some security forces in a gun duel.

Emir of Gwoza, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, confirmed the attack to newsmen on Wednesday, April 7, 2025, expressing gratitude that the security agencies were able to repel the attacks.

Boko Haram is adapting. So must we - Security expert

Boko Haram has significantly evolved its tactics in recent months, shifting towards kidnapping for ransom and expanding its digital and financial networks in ways that pose renewed threats to national security, according to Dr. Bulama Bukarti, a prominent security analyst.

In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Boko Haram carried out over 397 attacks in Borno state, killing 514 people and abducting 357 others, a new report by Beacon Security revealed. The data confirms a resurgence by the Islamist group, which had previously seen its capacity weakened by sustained military operations.

“This resurgence is being fuelled by a troubling shift in strategy,” Bukarti said. “The group has embraced kidnap-for-ransom as a core tactic, broadened its extortion schemes, and is increasingly leveraging digital tools to coordinate and spread propaganda. These trends must be halted swiftly and decisively.”

While attacks on military outposts continue, Bukarti said Boko Haram’s pivot to ransom-driven abductions marks a disturbing evolution. Traditionally, the group negotiated with governments or executed captives. Now, families and communities are forced to pay ₦2 million here, ₦3 million there, just to secure the release of loved ones.

A source cited by conflict-focused outlet HumAngle estimates the group has extorted up to ₦1 billion (approx. $800,000) through ransom operations since 2014, Bukarti added.

In parallel, Boko Haram has intensified extortion in areas under its control. Farmers, traders, fishermen, and herders are required to pay various levies to operate. Those who comply receive handwritten tax receipts—documents residents are expected to present on demand to avoid severe punishment.

“This is not just terrorism. It is governance by force. Boko Haram is running a de facto criminal state,” Bukarti said.

He warned that unless urgent action is taken, the hard-won gains made against the insurgency in recent years risk being reversed. “The years between 2011 and 2015 devastated Nigeria’s security, economy, education system, and collective psyche. We are dangerously close to returning to that dark period.”

To confront the renewed threat, Bukarti urged the federal government to intensify military operations in Boko Haram’s strongholds—especially the Lake Chad basin, southern Borno, and northern Yobe—and deploy more troops with advanced equipment to overwhelm insurgent networks.

He also called for intelligence-driven efforts to disrupt the group’s financial infrastructure, including ransom payments and forced taxation, and urged authorities to counter Boko Haram’s increasing use of technology.

“The group is now using drones, high-speed internet, and platforms like TikTok to recruit, radicalise, and coordinate attacks,” he said. “We need urgent collaboration with tech companies and international partners to block these capabilities.”

“Boko Haram is adapting,” Bukarti concluded. “So must we. The cost of inaction is simply too high.”

Read more stories on terrorist attacks on a military base

• ISWAP Terrorists Attack Military Base, Kill 6 Soldiers in Borno
• Death Toll Rises, Soldiers Missing Days After ISWAP Terrorists Attacked Borno Military Base
• Nigerian Soldiers Killed As Boko Haram Attacks Military Camp, Details Emerge
• Tension in Kaduna as Terrorists Attack Military Base, Kill Soldiers
• Tension as Boko Haram Kills 2 Soldiers, Civilians in Borno

Explosion rocks military barracks in Borno

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that panic gripped residents of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, as multiple explosions rocked the Giwa Barracks in the early hours of Thursday, May 1, 2025.

The incident reportedly began at about 12:05 am, with residents in the vicinity forced out of their homes by the sounds of loud blasts and the sight of red flares lighting up the sky around the barracks.

Legit.ng's head of politics and current affairs desk, Nurudeen Lawal, contributed insights from Dr. Bulama Bukarti, a prominent security analyst, to this report.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng