The Nigerian Army has officially declared 104 soldiers attached to the 162 Amphibious Battalion as deserters after they disappeared with their service rifles following a deadly terrorist attack on their base along the Mandara–Buratai Road in Borno State. The incident occurred in early June, with the army confirming that five soldiers and three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were killed in the assault.
Attack Details
According to reports from PREMIUM TIMES on June 5, insurgents suspected to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launched an overnight attack on the soldiers' base. Sources indicated that the terrorists exploited heavy rainfall and poor visibility to carry out the assault, resulting in multiple casualties. The army later confirmed the attack, specifying the death toll as five soldiers and three CJTF members.
Declaration of Desertion
An internal army document obtained by Sahara Reporters reveals that the soldiers allegedly absconded from their duty post on June 5, taking their personal weapons with them after the terrorist attack. The military signal, signed by Lieutenant FI Ndubuisi, states that Staff Sergeant Idris Mohammed and 103 others “absconded from their place of deployment to an unknown destination” with their personal weapons following the attack by Boko Haram or ISWAP terrorists.
“In view of the foregoing, I am directed to respectfully affirm to you that said soldiers are yet to report back for duty and are hereby declared deserter(s),” the signal stated.
Military Response
Military sources told Sahara Reporters that all military formations across Nigeria have been notified to apprehend and hand over any of the affected personnel found within their areas of responsibility. Additionally, the bank accounts of the 104 soldiers have been frozen pending their arrest. The list of declared deserters includes one staff sergeant, three sergeants, seven corporals, 38 lance corporals, and 55 privates.
Official Silence
As of the time of this report, the Nigerian Army had not issued an official public statement regarding the declaration of the 104 soldiers as deserters. Attempts to reach Army spokesperson Colonel Appolonia Anele for comment were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or messages.
Full List of Deserters
The following is the complete list of the 104 soldiers declared deserters by the Nigerian Army:
- Staff Sergeant Idris Mohammed (98NA/46/1906)
- Sergeant Omotoyinbo Samuel (04NA/55/0901)
- Sergeant Oyinbo John (09NA/64/5990)
- Sergeant Folorunsho Michael (03NA/53/1791)
- Corporal Onumaru Felix (12NA/68/6732)
- Corporal Adenekan Amos (13NA/70/8004)
- Corporal Basiru Garba (13NA/70/7338)
- Corporal Fatoki Olusegun (13NA/70/6585)
- Corporal Abu Mohammed (13NA/70/3372)
- Corporal Emmanuel Moses (14NA/71/12704)
- Corporal Aminu Bello (15NA/73/0416)
- Lance Corporal Abdullahi Kamalu (12NA/68/6096)
- Lance Corporal Adeniyi Kehinde (12NA/68/6985)
- Lance Corporal Oko Michael (15NA/74/4413)
- Lance Corporal Modey Ernest (15NA/74/3728)
- Lance Corporal Usman Abdulazeez (15NA/74/4063)
- Lance Corporal Adamu Hassan (16NA/75/4906)
- Lance Corporal Mohammed Abdulrahman (16NA/75/3182)
- Lance Corporal Onengiye Gabriel (17NA/76/3028)
- Lance Corporal Hassan (17NA/76/3895)
- Lance Corporal Ator Desmond (17NA/76/3971)
- Lance Corporal Ibrahim Mubarak (17NA/76/3860)
- Lance Corporal Rutai Ubale (17NA/76/4391)
- Lance Corporal Musa Abdullahi (17NA/76/5351)
- Lance Corporal Abayomi Sunday (17NA/76/5419)
- Lance Corporal Mathias Clement (17NA/76/5578)
- Lance Corporal Buhari Idris (17NA/76/5343)
- Lance Corporal Bulama Mukhtar (17NA/76/1750)
- Lance Corporal Isah Mukaila (17NA/76/4807)
- Lance Corporal Jamilu Aliyu (17NA/76/5093)
- Lance Corporal Ali Abdullahi (17NA/76/5112)
- Lance Corporal Yusuf Saidu (17NA/76/5251)
- Lance Corporal Abdullahi Garba (17NA/76/3665)
- Lance Corporal Mubarak Aliyu (17NA/76/5658)
- Lance Corporal Awa Micheal (17NA/76/0128)
- Lance Corporal Aliyu Musa (17NA/76/1975)
- Lance Corporal Onikoyi Lawal (19NA/78/0839)
- Lance Corporal Sambo Abdulrahman (19NA/78/1758)
- Lance Corporal Olorundare Azeez (19NA/78/2229)
- Lance Corporal Shuaibu Ibrahim (19NA/78/2815)
- Lance Corporal Muhammed Adamu (19NA/78/2628)
- Lance Corporal Ibrahim Abdulaziz (19NA/78/3579)
- Lance Corporal Samuel Alexander (20NA/79/1063)
- Lance Corporal Nazeem Mahmud (20NA/79/4577)
- Lance Corporal Ahmed Shuaibu (20NA/79/4450)
- Lance Corporal Tamini James (20NA/79/2496)
- Lance Corporal Abdulrazaq Salisu (20NA/79/2715)
- Lance Corporal Tijani Adamu (20NA/79/3164)
- Lance Corporal Gambo Rabiu (20NA/79/4485)
- Private Saliu Sueliman (21NA/80/0560)
- Private Musa Lucky (21NA/80/1598)
- Private Mustapha Muhammed (21NA/80/2482)
- Private Ayuba Rimanshong (21NA/80/3077)
- Private Tijjani Mohammed (21NA/80/3239)
- Private Jibrin Danladi (21NA/80/5705)
- Private Edwin Friday (21NA/80/2256)
- Private Abdullahi Tanko (21NA/80/4391)
- Private Muhammed Lawan (21NA/80/4899)
- Private Samotu Musa (21NA/80/0980)
- Private John Samaila (21NA/80/4828)
- Private Adebayo Monday (21NA/80/1581)
- Private Silas Gibson (21NA/80/2718)
- Private Aliyu Mamman (21NA/80/4831)
- Private Bright Precious (21NA/80/5749)
- Private Alkasim Maharaz (21NA/81/8880)
- Private James Naphtali (21NA/81/6958)
- Private Umar Taufeeq (21NA/81/10018)
- Private Buhari Sani (21NA/81/10508)
- Private Oleka Isaac (21NA/81/7686)
- Private Ibrahim Mathew (21NA/81/10418)
- Private Abubakar Idris (22NA/82/3494)
- Private Yahaya Yusuf (22NA/82/3834)
- Private Ibrahim Mohammed (22NA/82/2183)
- Private Sabiu Muktar (22NA/82/2101)
- Private Babangida John (22NA/83/10713)
- Private Danjuma Ali (22NA/83/10284)
- Private Mas’ud Ismail (22NA/83/11257)
- Private Ahmed Abubakar (22NA/83/11381)
- Private Sulaiman Musa (22NA/83/11662)
- Private Saad Auwal (22NA/83/11685)
- Private Abubakar Yusuf (22NA/83/6787)
- Private Adamu Mohammed (22NA/83/7382)
- Private Umar Sulaiman (22NA/83/7654)
- Private Mahmud Saifullahi (22NA/83/8278)
- Private Ebe Gideon (22NA/83/8346)
- Private Abdulrahman Aliyu (22NA/83/8829)
- Private Yarima Atiku (22NA/83/9767)
- Private Idris Mustapha (22NA/83/6095)
- Private Garzali Suleiman (23NA/84/5681)
- Private Aliyu Abdullahamed (23NA/85/11771)
- Private David Wisdom (23NA/85/11990)
- Private Nikodemon Victor (23NA/85/12310)
- Private Kazeem Lukman (23NA/85/8298)
- Private Pinon Yunana (23NA/85/9525)
- Private Haladu Isah (23NA/85/1021)
- Private Abubakar Abdullahi (23NA/85/11366)
- Private Friday Justine (23NA/85/11721)
- Private Selim Lawan (23NA/85/12512)
- Private Azaka Samuel (23NA/85/7240)
- Private Zakari Aminu (24NA/86/4203)
- Private Sufianu Bello (24NA/86/4934)
- Private Abba Miko (24NA/86/5198)
- Private Lawal Mubarak (24NA/87/6647)
- Private Isiya Musa (24NA/87/8279)
