Military Clings to Hope for Abducted Gen Uba as No Body Found‘
….ISWAP killers always leave corpses behind’ – CDS Musa
By Our Correspondent, Abuja
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has revealed that the military remains uncertain about the fate of abducted Brig.-Gen. Musa Uba, insisting he is “missing in action” pending recovery of his body.
Gen. Musa disclosed this in a recent interview on Channels Television, dismissing outright confirmation of the senior officer’s death by ISWAP terrorists in Borno State.
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The development comes weeks after Brig.-Gen. Uba, Commander of the 37 Brigade in Maiduguri, was ambushed and abducted alongside three other officers and several soldiers during a routine patrol near Marte in Borno on January 25.
Unlike typical ISWAP attacks where insurgents abandon victims’ bodies for troops to recover, no corpse has been found in Uba’s case, fuelling hopes of his survival.
“We are not sure that he is dead, because we have not seen any corpse yet. Normally what they (ISWAP) do when they shoot is they leave the body for you to recover,” the CDS stated.
“So he is classified as missing in action, not killed in action yet. We heard rumours that he is still alive, we are hopeful that he is still alive,” he added emphatically.
Gen. Musa assured Nigerians that the military is intensifying operations to rescue Brig.-Gen. Uba and others from captivity, vowing not to rest until they are freed.
The incident has heightened concerns over escalating ISWAP activities in the Northeast, despite ongoing offensives under Operation Hadin Kai.
Last month alone, troops neutralised over 50 terrorists and rescued 120 hostages in the region, according to Defence Headquarters.
Security analysts say ISWAP’s rare abduction of a high-ranking officer like Brig.-Gen. Uba signals a tactical shift, possibly aimed at ransom or propaganda.
The Defence Headquarters has yet to issue an official statement, but sources say joint task forces are combing Kukawa and nearby areas.
Civil society groups have commended the military’s optimism, urging prayers for the safe return of all missing personnel.
