March 7, 2026
News
The family of a Nigerian Army officer, Lieutenant J.O. Ejeh, has raised serious concerns over his whereabouts after he and his team were reportedly ambushed by Boko Haram insurgents during a rescue operation in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
Sources familiar with the incident told SUNTV Global on Saturday that the lieutenant had been deployed on a high-risk mission to rescue civilians who were reportedly under attack deep inside the forest.
According to the sources, the operation was carried out without adequate air or ground reinforcement from other military units.
A family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the officer and his team were responding to distress calls when they encountered the insurgents.
“The lieutenant and his team were sent to another location in Sambisa to rescue people who were under attack. Unfortunately, they were ambushed by Boko Haram fighters on their way to the area,” the source said.
The relative alleged that the terrorists launched a heavy assault on the unit during the operation.
“They attacked them on the road and bombed their convoy. Since then, the family has been worried because we have not received clear information about his condition,” the source added.
Family members say they have been gripped by anxiety since the incident occurred.
“We haven’t slept since yesterday. He has been serving in Sambisa for quite some time now and has been involved in several dangerous operations,” another relative said.
The family also revealed that Lt. Ejeh was initially scheduled to attend a military training course earlier this year but was not released by his brigade due to his operational importance.
“He was supposed to go for a course this January, but his brigade refused to release him because he is very effective in operations,” the source explained.
They further claimed that the officer had not taken his annual leave since he was deployed to the conflict zone.
“He has not gone on annual leave since he resumed duty in that area,” the family member added.
According to the family, Lt. Ejeh was among the top-performing cadets during his training at the Nigerian Defence Academy before he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army.
They appealed to military authorities to urgently provide updates about his situation and ensure that soldiers deployed to frontline operations receive adequate support and reinforcement.
Efforts by SUNTV Global to reach the Nigerian Army for official comments were unsuccessful as calls to the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Onyechi Appolonia Anele, were not answered at the time of filing this report.
Sambisa Forest, located in northeastern Nigeria, has long served as a major stronghold for Boko Haram insurgents and remains one of the most dangerous areas in the country’s ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
The development comes amid renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerian troops following recent attacks by militants of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction linked to Boko Haram, which has reportedly carried out several deadly assaults on military formations in Borno State in recent months.
