Mirian Gom 
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – Fears of a resurgent Boko Haram insurgency have intensified following the killing of several Nigerian Army officers, including two commanding officers, in a deadly ambush by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State on Friday.
According to a report by the SaharaReporters, Military sources confirmed that Lieutenant Colonel A.S. Paiko, Commander of the 202 Tank Battalion, and Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu of the 222 Battalion were among those killed when their convoy was ambushed near Kawuri town, Bama Local Government Area, around 9:45 a.m. on Friday, 17 October 2025.
The officers were leading an operation to clear insurgents from the area when their convoy came under heavy fire. Several soldiers were reportedly wounded, while an unconfirmed number remain missing.
“A clearance operation led by both commanders was ambushed, leading to their deaths and the loss of several troops,” a military source told Sahara Reporters.
Another officer said, “The terrorists struck between Bama and Kawuri. Lieutenant Colonel Paiko died instantly, while Colonel Iliyasu was evacuated to the Maiduguri military hospital but did not survive.”
The attack underscores a renewed wave of ISWAP and Boko Haram activities in North-East Nigeria, despite repeated military claims that the insurgency had been “technically defeated.”
The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since 2009, and analysts warn the recent ambush signals the group’s regrouping and evolving tactics in the region.
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Otamere Gladness 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
