“Many soldiers (unspecified numbers) were captured and many has deserted, the ones that runs twords Dikwa are currently at the 24 task force brigade. ISWAP has taken over Marte.”
Suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have captured Marte Local Government Area in Borno State after overpowering Nigerian troops in a weekend attack. Military sources confirmed that coordinated assaults forced soldiers to abandon their positions by 3 a.m. on Sunday, May 12, 2025. “Many soldiers were captured, and many deserted,” a source disclosed, adding that fleeing troops regrouped at the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa amid ongoing airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force.
Marte, a strategic Lake Chad region town, has repeatedly changed hands, symbolizing the prolonged insurgency in Nigeria’s Northeast. The latest takeover follows a deadly attack on the 153 Task Force Battalion, where terrorists burned armored vehicles and looted ammunition. “We lost communication with the base since the attack,” an army major told SaharaReporters.
This marks another setback for Nigeria’s military, coming weeks after 22 soldiers were killed in an ambush in Malam-Fatori. Despite years of counterinsurgency efforts, ISWAP and Boko Haram continue to exploit vulnerabilities, prolonging the region’s instability.
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