An IS-affiliated jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Nigerian brigadier general, a key figure in the military’s efforts against militant groups in the tumultuous Lake Chad region. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) announced the killing via the Amaq online channel, detailing an ambush on a military convoy carried out over the weekend in northeastern Nigeria.
In their statement, ISWAP claimed that its fighters had successfully engaged a military force, resulting in the death of a senior officer on Saturday. The group also released two photographs: one depicting Brigadier General M. Uba in captivity and another showing him in his office prior to the ambush.
If the claim is verified, Uba would be the highest-ranking military officer killed in the ongoing jihadist conflict in Nigeria since 2021. He served as the commander of the Nigerian army’s 25th brigade stationed in Damboa. Uba was reported missing following an attack on his convoy near Wajirko, a town in Borno State, where ISWAP fighters launched a deadly ambush.
Despite the claims made by ISWAP, the Nigerian army issued a rebuttal, labeling local media reports of Uba’s capture as a “fake narrative.” Military officials stated that he had returned safely to base after the ambush, which claimed the lives of two soldiers and resulted in the deaths of two fighters from a militia aligned with the army.
However, a Nigerian intelligence source provided a contrasting account, indicating that Uba had indeed been captured alongside 16 soldiers. This source suggested that Uba’s mobile phone was intentionally left on to reveal his location to military forces. They reported that he made a video call to a friend before the phone was turned off, after which a rescue team was dispatched but failed to locate him.
ISWAP, which separated from Boko Haram in 2016, has increasingly targeted military installations in northeastern Nigeria, employing tactics such as raids, ambushes, and landmine placements. The insurgency, spanning over 16 years, has resulted in more than 40,000 fatalities and displaced approximately two million individuals in the region.
The Nigerian army has not responded to requests for further comment following the intelligence reports, leaving uncertainty surrounding the fate of Brigadier General Uba and the implications of this incident for ongoing military operations against jihadist groups in Nigeria.
