A Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) commander was killed after suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting his vehicle near Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the blast occurred along a route near the Lake Chad axis while the commander was travelling. The explosion destroyed the vehicle and caused his immediate death, the sources added.
Counter‑insurgency expert Zagazola Makama told reporters the deceased was a prominent CJTF commander noted for his active support of ongoing operations against terrorist groups in the North‑East.
ISWAP, a faction known for planting IEDs along major access roads and targeting security personnel and pro‑government militias in the Lake Chad region, is suspected to be responsible for the attack.
The incident follows a recent military advisory issued ahead of Eid‑el‑Kabir warning residents in Borno and the wider North‑East to be alert to possible IED attacks during the Sallah period. The advisory urged people to avoid crowded places and to report any suspicious objects to security agencies.
