A senior Nigerian Army officer, Brigadier General M. Uba, has been killed by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after the terrorists reportedly intercepted and tracked his location along the Damboa–Biu axis in Borno State, multiple military sources have confirmed.

The fatal incident occurred shortly after the Brigade Commander participated in a successful joint air-and-ground offensive against insurgents in the region.

Communication May Have Exposed His Coordinates

According to PRNigeria, Brig-Gen Uba had earlier spoken with his superiors, assuring them he was safe and regrouping with his team following the operation. However, that communication may have unintentionally revealed his location to the insurgents.

He was later captured alive, interrogated briefly, and then executed by the ISWAP fighters.

Joint Operation Turned Deadly

Earlier reports detailed a joint military mission in which Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft were deployed to rescue ground troops ambushed by ISWAP. The operation began when troops led by Brig-Gen Uba unknowingly advanced along a booby-trapped route.

An intense firefight ensued, and as the number of insurgents increased, the commander ordered a tactical withdrawal and sent a distress call for air support. NAF aircraft diverted from other missions to provide close air support, striking insurgent positions and facilitating the extraction of the commander, his troops, and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

Ambush, Casualties, and Conflicting Early Reports

SaharaReporters earlier revealed that senior military officials, including the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, urgently arrived at the Damboa military base to lead rescue efforts for abducted personnel.

The violent ambush that triggered the rescue mission resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and two CJTF members. Brig-Gen Uba and two other soldiers were reported missing following the attack.

Although the Nigerian Army initially denied the commander’s abduction, soldiers who spoke to SaharaReporters maintained that he had not returned to base.

Desperate Search Efforts and Last Signals

Military sources disclosed that Brig-Gen Uba managed to send his live location to colleagues shortly after his abduction. Troops who traced the coordinates found the spot—but not the officer.

“It’s unclear if his phone died or was seized by the terrorists,” a senior source said.

Another officer noted that the commander still had access to his phone under duress. “He even made a video call to his dry cleaner yesterday morning, but warned him not to speak,” the source revealed.

One soldier who was shot and abducted alongside him was reportedly released, but the senior officer and two others remained missing at the time of initial reports.

New Brigade Commander Appointed as Search Intensified

In response to the crisis, Brigadier General Mustapha was appointed to lead the 26 Task Force Brigade in Damboa. Troops previously deployed for rescue operations were recalled early Sunday as the situation evolved.

Military officers confirmed:
“Information reaching us showed that the Brigadier General was abducted with three other soldiers. One of those soldiers, who was shot, was abandoned in the bush. Two Majors managed to return to camp on foot.”

They added that additional top commanders had moved to Damboa to coordinate operations aimed at recovering the missing officers and stabilising the area.

A Continuing Threat

The killing follows a series of coordinated attacks by ISWAP in northeastern Nigeria. SaharaReporters had previously reported that ISWAP ambushed a military convoy late Friday night, killing several soldiers and CJTF members in what appeared to be a highly organised offensive.