The attack on Nigerian troops of Sector 3 under Operation Hadin Kai in Borno by terrorists was carried out using armed drones to strike the army convoy, a military source has said.
SaharaReporters had reported the killing of Army personnel, including Colonel I.A. Mohammed, during an ambush by militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram in Borno.
The soldiers were on patrol to clear some Boko Haram elements in Monguno following credible intelligence when they were ambushed by the group.
According to a Major in the Army, the terrorists deployed armed drones on the army convoy in the town around 2 a.m. on Monday.
The drones used by the insurgents are similar to those deployed in countries like Israel and Ukraine, he said.
“The 242 Battalion Commander and soldiers were ambushed around 2 a.m. this morning by terrorists in Monguno Sector 3. The Commander was with some soldiers, and we don’t know the number of casualties yet,” the source said.
“They were going for reinforcement; it was drones that they used on them. The terrorists sent bombs with drones; those things shelled them. It’s very unfortunate.
“I could remember the Army explaining last year how these terrorists have been deploying weaponised drones, similar to those used in Israel and Ukraine. These drones are hard to detect with conventional radar.”
In 2025, Ahmed Jaha, a member of the House of Representatives representing Borno, alleged that Boko Haram insurgents were using drones to attack residents in Borno State.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok federal constituency said the weapons used by the terrorists were more sophisticated than those of the Nigerian military.
Earlier, sources told SaharaReporters that Colonel Mohammed was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) following an ambush by the terrorists.
According to sources who spoke to SaharaReporters earlier, the insurgents launched the attack on Sunday night, targeting a Forward Operating Base (FOB) under the 242 Battalion in Mungunu, which falls under Sector 3 of the military’s counter-insurgency operations.
“One of our senior commanders, Colonel I.A. Muhammad, was killed last night when Boko Haram attacked Monguno. They also killed some soldiers during the attack,” a soldier on the front lines said.
Monguno is a strategic military hub hosting a large camp with multiple sub-units, including battalions led by Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels, under the supervision of a sector commander, a General Officer Commanding.
Sources explained that during the attack, insurgents focused their assault on a smaller but critical military position, the FOB, prompting an urgent call for reinforcement.
“The Colonel got information that troops at the FOB were under heavy attack. As a committed commander, he mobilised to lead reinforcement to the location,” another source said.
According to them, the tragedy struck before he could reach the embattled troops.
They narrated that while advancing towards the frontline, the Colonel’s convoy drove into a deadly ambush laid by the insurgents, who had planted a remotely detonated explosive device along the route.
“He did not die inside the camp. He was on his way to support his men when Boko Haram fighters ambushed them with a controlled landmine. It was not the type you step on; it was detonated remotely at the exact moment his vehicle approached,” the source added.
The explosion reportedly killed the Colonel instantly, alongside a yet-to-be-confirmed number of soldiers accompanying him.
Nigeria has been battling the insurgents in the North East region for over two decades now.
