By Charles Pemu 
Nigerian Army Brigadier General M Uba, a high-ranking Brigade Commander, has allegedly been reported killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists after they reportedly intercepted and tracked his location along the Damboa–Biu axis in Borno State, multiple security sources have verified.
The devastating incident occurred shortly after the Brigade Commander had led a successful joint air–ground offensive against the insurgents in the contested area.
According to detailed security reports, the General had communicated with his superiors shortly after the operation, reassuring them that he was safe and regrouping with his team. Sources indicate that this critical communication may have inadvertently exposed his coordinates, allowing the highly sophisticated terrorists to track his movements and intercept him.
The officer was subsequently captured alive, subjected to brief interrogation, and then summarily executed by the ISWAP fighters.
The abduction and subsequent death followed a massive joint military operation. Ground forces, led by the Brigadier General, were ambushed by ISWAP terrorists on a booby-trapped route. Following intense gunfire, the commander ordered a tactical withdrawal and called for air support. Nigerian Air Force aircraft intervened swiftly, providing decisive strikes that helped disperse the terrorists and rescue the ground troops and accompanying members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
Separate accounts revealed the attack on Friday night resulted in the death of soldiers and CJTF members, with Brigadier General Uba and two other soldiers initially reported abducted. Despite an initial denial by the Nigerian Army, subsequent reports from soldiers confirmed the commander was missing.
Top military commanders, including the Operation Hadin Kai Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, quickly moved to the Damboa base to coordinate rescue efforts. Reports indicate the Brigadier General briefly managed to send his live location to colleagues, but troops tracing the signal found no trace of him. Speculation arose that the officer might have accessed his phone under duress, with one source mentioning he even made a warning video call to his dry cleaner.
Despite the intense rescue efforts, which included deploying troops to the shared location, the operation was unsuccessful in saving the senior officer and one other soldier. Brigadier General Mustapha has since been appointed to temporarily take command of the 26 Task Force Brigade in Damboa.