Boko Haram insurgents have killed a Nigerian Army colonel and 21 soldiers in a deadly overnight ambush on a military outpost in Monguno, Borno State, sources have told Peoples Gazette.
The attack took place as the military was preparing a renewed offensive against the terrorists, who have inflicted significant losses on Nigerian forces in recent weeks. Colonel I.A. Muhammad, attached to the 242 Battalion, was among those killed, along with 21 of his men, bringing the total death toll to at least 22.
A video of the incident has begun circulating on social media, though its authenticity could not immediately be verified independently.
The Nigerian Army spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Colonel Muhammad is the latest in a string of at least six senior officers killed by Boko Haram elements in less than two weeks.
Borno State remains the epicentre of the 17-year insurgency, which began in 2009 and has claimed tens of thousands of lives while displacing millions across the Lake Chad region. Successive Nigerian administrations, including that of President Bola Tinubu, have vowed to intensify efforts to crush the group, yet ambushes and raids on military positions continue to pose a serious challenge to counter-insurgency operations.
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