Gallant Nigerian Army officer, Brig.-Gen. M. Uba, chatted for at least 17 minutes with those detailed to rescue him but they failed to get him before his capture and execution by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Details of the time and nature of the chats are contained in a screenshot released on Monday, November 17, 2025, by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert specialising on the Lake Chad area.

According to the screenshot, the chat started at 7:13 and abruptly ended at 7:30 – with the late Brigade Commander Uba being the last to communicate. While the 7:13 chat by the leader of the Operation Hadin Kai troops sent to rescue him are not visible, the rest read verbatim:

7:15:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: Thanks alot

7:15: Yes sir

7:15:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: Are they going to pick me or direct me on where to go?"

7:16:

Coordinating rescue team: “Sir, they will remain overhead and coordinate with the troops moving towards you, Sir.”

7:16:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: OK

7:19:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: “My battery is 31% now.”

7:20:

Deleted message by rescuer

7:22:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: “Yes, I am at the foot. Bu5 once I see AC I can raise my peak cap."

7:24:

Coordinating rescue team: Copied sir

7:29:

Coordinating rescue team: Sir can you hear any AC noice overhead you?

7:30:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: Yes

7:30:

Brig.-Gen. M. Uba: Let them hover they all see me

Brig.-Gen. Uba and his troops had been ambushed by ISWAP terrorists in the Damboa–Biu axis of Borno State. While some of his troops were killed, he and others managed to escape. The terrorists announced his capture and execution via a video released on Monday, November 17, 2025.