Death toll hits 48 in Boko Haram troop attack: military sources
The death toll from a Boko Haram attack on a Nigerian army post on the border with Niger has risen to 48, military sources said on 3 September.
Scores of Boko Haram fighters in trucks stormed the base on 30 August in Zari village in northern Borno state and briefly seized it after a fierce battle.
Boko Haram, which has been waging a deadly insurgency in Nigeria since 2009, has intensified attacks on military targets in recent months.
At least 30 Nigerian soldiers were initially said to have been killed in 30 August’s raid.
A military source who did not want to be named told AFP: ‘The casualty toll now stands at 48 with the recovery of 17 more bodies of soldiers in surrounding bushes in Zari by search and rescue teams. Search operations are still ongoing and more bodies are likely to be recovered.’
Another military source confirmed the new death toll.
He said: ‘So far (the) bodies of 48 troops have been recovered. Yesterday rescue teams found 17 bodies of fallen soldiers.’
Adding further he said that they included two officers and 46 soldiers.
He said: ‘When the troops were overwhelmed by the terrorists they withdrew in different directions.’
More from Defence Notes
-
![Eurosatory 2026: New public security needs drive personal protection equipment modernisation]()
Eurosatory 2026: New public security needs drive personal protection equipment modernisation
European law enforcement and public security agencies are entering a new cycle of investment in personal protection equipment (PPE), driven by evolving threat profiles, officer welfare requirements and advances in materials technology.
-
![The speed of relevance: how companies can navigate the new era of European defence procurement]()
The speed of relevance: how companies can navigate the new era of European defence procurement
European militaries face a rapidly evolving security landscape and defence production must accelerate to meet surging demand for platforms and equipment. Industry needs to adapt to ensure it gets its products into the hands of the end user, Evelyn Rafferty, Senior Director Aerospace and Defence - Europe at Plexus told Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Milrem Robotics puts forward multi-layered defence concept for NATO’s eastern flank]()
Eurosatory 2026: Milrem Robotics puts forward multi-layered defence concept for NATO’s eastern flank
Autonomous systems developer Milrem has evolved a model for an interoperable robotised approach to the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI), showing how uncrewed systems could provide a multi-layered defence architecture in the air and on land along NATO’s eastern borders.
