Maiduguri, Nigeria – November 18, 2025
A faction aligned with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has released a graphic video purporting to show the execution of a senior Nigerian Army officer, identified as Colonel Samaila Inusa Yunusa, whom the militants claim was captured during a recent ambush in Borno State. The Nigerian military has categorically denied that any officer was taken captive, describing the footage as “crude propaganda” intended to demoralize troops and mislead the public.
In the 4-minute video circulated late Sunday on channels commonly used by ISWAP, masked fighters in military-style uniforms present a man wearing a bloodied Nigerian Army camouflage. The captive, whose facial features closely resemble those of Colonel Yunusa, is forced to speak briefly before being shot multiple times at close range. A voiceover in Hausa and Arabic accuses the officer of “crimes against Muslims” and warns of further attacks on security forces operating in the Lake Chad basin.
The Defence Headquarters in Abuja swiftly issued a rebuttal through its Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba. “There is no record of any Nigerian Army officer by the name of Colonel Samaila Inusa Yunusa being declared missing or captured in any theatre of operation,” General Buba stated on Monday morning. “The individual paraded in the video is not a serving member of the Nigerian Army. This is a recycled propaganda tactic by terrorists who are under intense pressure from ongoing military operations.”
Military sources familiar with personnel records confirmed to Clarion News that no officer bearing that exact name and rank is currently listed as missing in action in the northeast theatre. However, the sources declined to comment on whether the victim could be a retired officer, a member of the vigilante Civilian Joint Task Force often dressed in military fatigues, or an impersonator used by the militants.
The release comes amid intensified fighting between Nigerian forces and both ISWAP and the rival Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), the original Boko Haram faction. In the past week alone, the Nigerian Army reported neutralizing over 70 insurgents in clearance operations around Sambisa Forest and the Alagarno axis, while acknowledging the loss of several soldiers to improvised explosive devices.
Security analysts note that ISWAP has previously used verified executions of captured personnel to assert dominance, most notably in 2019 and 2020 when soldiers and aid workers were beheaded in similar videos. The group has also occasionally misidentified victims or used old footage to exaggerate battlefield successes when under sustained military pressure.
The latest video has nonetheless triggered widespread concern among families of troops deployed in the northeast, many of whom took to social media demanding official clarification. Human rights monitors have urged independent verification of the victim’s identity and called on all parties to respect the Geneva Conventions regarding treatment of captives.
As Operation Hadin Kai continues its dry-season offensive, the Nigerian military maintains that ground dominance is being steadily restored in affected areas. Authorities have assured the public that investigations into the authenticity of the video are ongoing, with a promise to update citizens “as soon as concrete facts are established.”
Clarion News is monitoring the situation and will provide verified updates as they become available
Militants Release Video Claiming Execution of Captured Nigerian Army Colonel; Military Rejects Claim as Propaganda
