At least 20 Nigerian soldiers are reportedly missing following a deadly pre-dawn attack by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on a military formation in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.

The brazen assault, which occurred early Monday, saw the insurgents overrun the base, looting the armoury and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes to neighbouring Dikwa. Security sources described the attack as one of the most daring offensives by the group in recent months.

According to a security source who spoke to LEADERSHIP, many soldiers were either abducted or wounded during the raid, while four personnel were confirmed killed in the attack.

"As of this morning, about 20 soldiers are still missing. They are yet to return after yesterday's incident, but we remain hopeful they are alive," the source revealed.

The attack is believed to be part of a renewed offensive by ISWAP, reigniting fears among locals and prompting calls for swift military action to reclaim the base and restore order in the affected communities.

"We are experiencing renewed attacks from the terrorists. They are still in control of the base, and the armed forces should, as a matter of urgency, restore normalcy in the affected communities," another source urged.

Troops Repel Second Attack on Dikwa

In a related development, troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and local hunters, successfully repelled a separate ISWAP attack on Dikwa in the early hours of Tuesday.

A CJTF member, speaking under condition of anonymity, disclosed that the insurgents had deployed two surveillance drones before launching the attack around 1:00 am on a military outpost. The ensuing gun battle reportedly lasted for over an hour.

"They may have followed our troops who retreated from Marte, but this time, our military responded decisively and defended our territory," the CJTF member stated.

As of the time of this report, the Defence Headquarters is yet to release an official statement on the incidents. The situation highlights the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria's northeast region, where ISWAP and other insurgent groups continue to pose significant threats despite military efforts to contain them.