A yet-to-be-determined number of Nigerian Army personnel have been killed following an ambush by militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, in Borno State.
Among those confirmed dead are the Commanding Officer of the 202 Tank Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel A.S. Paiko, and that of the 222 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, according to military sources cited by SaharaReporters.
The ambush occurred on Friday, October 17, 2025, around 9:45 a.m., as the troops were heading to Kawuri town, Bama Local Government Area, for a clearance operation against the insurgents. The convoy came under heavy gunfire, resulting in multiple casualties and several soldiers still missing.
A military source said, “A clearance operation led by both CO 222 Battalion and CO 202 Battalion, Bama, was ambushed yesterday, leading to the deaths of both commanders and many other soldiers. The bloody encounter also left many of our soldiers missing.”
Another source revealed that the ambush was triggered after intelligence indicated that terrorists were operating in a nearby village called Kawuri. “The commanders mobilised their men to confront them, but they were ambushed on their way,” the source added.
While Lieutenant Colonel Paiko’s death has been confirmed, uncertainty remains over Colonel Iliyasu’s condition. “He was shot and evacuated to the military hospital in Maiduguri. He might have died on the way because of the gunshots. Casualties still remain unknown — so sad,” another soldier disclosed.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have continued to terrorise North-Eastern Nigeria, killing thousands and displacing millions despite repeated military claims that the insurgency has been “largely defeated.” In recent months, ambushes targeting troops have intensified, underscoring the resilience of the insurgent networks in the region.
