ABUJA — The Nigerian Army has officially declared 104 soldiers of the 162 Amphibious Battalion missing and classified them as deserters following a deadly terrorist attack on their military base along the Mandara–Buratai Road in Borno State.
The development comes after insurgents launched a coordinated overnight assault on the battalion’s location in early June, exploiting heavy rainfall and poor visibility to overrun the base.
At least eight soldiers, including a Major, were reportedly killed during the attack, while scores of troops were unaccounted for after the assault. Military authorities said the missing personnel disappeared with their service rifles and have yet to report back to their unit.
In an internal military document that has since surfaced online, the Army identified the 104 missing personnel and directed all military formations and security agencies to apprehend them wherever they are found.
The list comprises one Staff Sergeant, three Sergeants, seven Corporals, 38 Lance Corporals and 55 Privates.
As part of measures to track the missing soldiers, the Army has reportedly frozen their bank accounts and activated procedures aimed at locating and arresting them.
The attack on the 162 Amphibious Battalion underscores the continuing security challenges facing troops battling insurgents in the North-East, where terrorist groups have sustained attacks on military formations despite ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
The Nigerian Army has yet to issue a public statement providing further details on the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the soldiers or the status of efforts to recover them and their weapons.
