20 security personnel killed in attack on base in Nigeria — Premium Times Nigeria

About 20 security personnel were killed during a nighttime attack on a military base in Mairari, Borno State, in northeastern Nigeria. Premium Times Nigeria reports that, according to the publication’s sources, those killed included 15 soldiers and five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

Attack in the Guzamala area

According to the publication’s sources, the attack occurred at midnight on Tuesday at a base in Mairari, located in the Guzamala Local Government Area. They suggest that the attack may have been carried out by jihadists from Boko Haram or its rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Local government chairman Umar Sherif confirmed the attack to Punch newspaper and said that the military repelled it. Local residents also told the publication that many attackers were killed, but did not provide an exact number.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

No official comment

The Nigerian military has not officially commented on the incident. Mohammed Goni, spokesperson for the Joint Task Force Hadin Kai, which operates in the country’s northeast, did not respond to Premium Times Nigeria’s request for comment on the attack.

Last month, according to the publication, the military, supported by air power, repelled an ISWAP attack on a military position in Mairari. At the time, four ISWAP militants were reported killed and a cache of weapons, including a camera, was seized.