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ISWAP ambush leaves 19 Soldiers dead in Borno
At least 19 soldiers, including a commander, have been killed in a devastating attack on a military base in Malam-Fatori, located in the Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
Malam-Fatori is a border town situated approximately two kilometers from the Nigerien community of Bosso.
According to reliable sources, the attackers struck the base on Friday, January 24, 2025, unleashing chaos for several hours before overrunning the 149 Battalion. Survivors fled for safety following the assault, which left many soldiers seriously injured and others missing. The attackers, arriving in multiple gun trucks, destroyed several buildings and military vehicles during the raid.
A source revealed that among those killed were the battalion’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Alari, two senior officers, and the base’s medical director. The attack occurred as troops were conducting routine operations in the Timbuktu Triangle, where they were ambushed.
The Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, and other authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction that split from Boko Haram in 2016, is believed to be behind the attack. ISWAP has established dominance in the region, seizing areas formerly controlled by Boko Haram, including the Timbuktu Triangle and the Sambisa Forest. The group is known for employing roadside mines and vehicle-borne explosives to target troops.
Last year, seven soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck a landmine in an area where ISWAP operates actively. The 15-year insurgency in northeast Nigeria has claimed approximately 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people. The violence has also spilled into neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting the formation of a regional force to combat the militants.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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