Tragedy struck the Nigerian Army on Friday, October 17, 2025, as Boko Haram terrorists, operating under the Islamic State-backed faction known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), ambushed a military convoy in Borno State, killing several soldiers, including two senior commanding officers.
According to multiple military sources, the ambush occurred at about 9:45 a.m. along the volatile Bama–Kawuri axis in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. The troops, drawn from the 202 Tank Battalion and the 222 Battalion, were reportedly en route to Kawuri town for a clearance operation against insurgents when they came under intense fire.
Among those killed were two commanding officers identified as Lieutenant Colonel A.S. Paiko, the Commanding Officer of the 202 Tank Battalion, and Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, the Commanding Officer of the 222 Battalion.
A senior military source confirmed to SaharaReporters that the convoy was ambushed shortly after departing their base. The insurgents, who had laid in wait, opened heavy fire using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), rocket-propelled grenades, and high-caliber machine guns.
“A clearance operation led by both the CO 222 Battalion and CO 202 Battalion Bama was ambushed yesterday leading to the deaths of both commanders and many other soldiers,” the source disclosed.
“The bloody encounter also left many of our soldiers missing. The terrorists caught the troops completely off guard.”
Another officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the soldiers had received intelligence that insurgents were regrouping in Kawuri village. Acting on the report, the two commanding officers mobilized their men for a rapid assault. However, they ran into a well-planned ambush before reaching their target.
“There was information that the terrorists were operating in a small village called Kawuri, so the commanders mobilized their men to go to the village and confront them. Unfortunately, they were ambushed on their way,” the officer said.
“While I can confirm the death of Lieutenant Colonel Paiko of 202 Battalion, I’m not sure about Colonel Iliyasu. However, he was shot and the last I heard was that he was evacuated to the military hospital in Maiduguri. He may have died on the way because of the severity of his injuries.”
Military sources further confirmed that several other soldiers sustained life-threatening injuries and were evacuated to the 7 Division Military Hospital in Maiduguri. A yet-to-be-determined number of soldiers also remain missing as search and rescue operations continue in the area.
As of press time, the Nigerian Army had not issued an official statement regarding the ambush or the number of casualties recorded.
The tragic incident adds to the growing list of deadly attacks targeting Nigerian troops in the North-East, despite repeated claims by military authorities that Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP, have been “technically defeated.”
Over the years, the insurgency has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and devastated entire communities in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States. Despite intensified military operations, the terrorists continue to launch deadly ambushes on convoys, military bases, and civilian communities.
Meanwhile, security analysts have renewed calls for enhanced intelligence coordination, improved logistics, and the adoption of modern counter-insurgency strategies to prevent further loss of life among frontline troops battling the decade-long insurgency.
