A senior military officer, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, the Brigade Commander of Damboa, has been confirmed killed by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), according to accounts from a security analyst and counter-insurgency expert.
The late commander was initially reported missing after an encounter with terrorists in the forested axis of Damboa. Before his capture, he appeared in a short video—circulated widely—assuring colleagues and the public that he was safe.
In the clip, he calmly stated that he was “okay” and on his way back to base, a message many had hoped signaled an imminent rescue.
However, according to the security analyst, ZagazOla Makama, the situation deteriorated hours later when Gen. Uba reportedly lost his orientation within the forest. Ground troops and air components were immediately deployed in a coordinated search-and-rescue effort. Multiple attempts were made to track and extract him, following his communication that he was heading back to his location.
Despite those efforts, the officer was re-captured by ISWAP fighters—an incident that allegedly occurred after news of his initial abduction spread widely on social media. The terrorists later killed him, marking another devastating blow to ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria’s Northeast.
The security analyst describing the incident said the development underscores the persistent dangers faced by frontline commanders and troops battling extremist groups in hostile terrain.
The military was yet to release an official statement at the time of filing this report, but the death of the Brigade Commander has triggered grief within security circles and renewed conversations about operational risks in counter-terrorism missions.
