A deadly ambush has claimed the lives of nine members of the Civilian Joint Task Force following an intense overnight battle with suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)/Boko Haram insurgents in the Marte area of Borno State.
According to a situation report from the Counter-Terrorism Unit Base 8, the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at approximately 1:10 am.
Heavily armed fighters, believed to be members of ISWAP or Boko Haram, launched a coordinated attack on CJTF positions in Marte.
The CJTF, a volunteer security group supporting the Nigerian military in counter-insurgency efforts across the North-East, engaged the attackers in a prolonged and intense firefight. Despite being heavily outgunned and outnumbered, the CJTF managed to repel the assault, inflicting casualties on the insurgents and forcing them to retreat.
Tragedy struck shortly afterward as CJTF operatives attempted to recover the body of one of their fallen colleagues. During the operation, they triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the fleeing insurgents. The explosion resulted in the immediate death of nine CJTF members.
In addition to the CJTF losses, the situation report confirmed that several civilians who had been abducted by the insurgents during the attack were later executed before the assailants fled the area.
“They planted IED and CJTF who went to recovered one of their deceased body on their way back to their camp stepped on the IED and nine of the CJTF died X few civilians who were captured in the community by BHTS were gruesomely slaughtered,” the situation report said.
Security forces remain on high alert in the Marte area, actively working to detect and neutralize any remaining explosive devices and extend support to bereaved families.
The incident highlights the continued threat posed by ISWAP and Boko Haram factions and the ongoing sacrifices made by CJTF members in the fight against terrorism in the region.
