ISWAP fighters launched a coordinated assault on the town of Dikwa, Borno State. They overran the town, forcing government troops to temporarily withdraw. The militants attacked the Nigerian Army base, killing six soldiers and setting fire to the base and six military vehicles. After withdrawing, they returned the following day and killed an additional two soldiers. The town remained under militant control for several hours before troops regrouped and reclaimed it.
1 Mar 2021 · Dikwa, Dikwa, Borno
Deaths
6
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
6
Perpetrators
ISWAP
Response
After the initial withdrawal, Nigerian troops regrouped and, with air support, engaged the insurgents, forcing them out of Dikwa. The base was later recaptured.
Displacement
Temporary displacement of residents during the takeover; many fled
Socioeconomic drivers
To loot the military’s heavy weapon caches and exhaust the garrison through a multi-day wave attack.
Trajectory
By early 2021, ISWAP moved from simple highway ambushes to full-scale seize-and-hold operations in major towns. This incident exposed the fragility of the super camp model, showing that even high-density troop concentrations could be forced into a retreat if the insurgent first wave was sufficiently violent.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier attacks including 08 September 2018 – Gudumbali overrun resulting in temporary insurgent control, 18 November 2018 – Metele assault involving large-scale attack on a military base, 07 January 2020 – Monguno infiltration and temporary occupation, 15 January 2021 – Marte base attack forcing troop withdrawal and brief takeover, and 10 July 2020 – Baga assault targeting a strategic town with military presence, collectively reflecting a recurring pattern in which Islamic State West Africa Province conducts coordinated seize-and-hold operations—overrunning military bases, forcing temporary withdrawals, and briefly occupying strategic towns to loot equipment, project dominance, and expose vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s defensive super camp strategy.
Pattern
Military Base Assault
Related — Armed Attack
ISWAP fighters in more than a dozen pickup trucks fitted with machine guns stormed a security post manned by a civilian militia group (local hunters and Civilian JTF) in Mamuri village. The ensuing fight lasted for hours. According to militia leader Babakura Kolo, the militiamen ran out of ammunition, giving the insurgents the upper hand. The attack killed 14 militiamen and a mobile police officer.
ISWAP terrorists killed the village head of Kinnari in Damasak, Mobbar LGA, Borno State.
Gunmen killed two youths returning from a security meeting in Dorowa Babuje community, Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State.