Jihadists Kill Brigadier General, Overrun Borno Military Base

A brigadier general has been killed in an overnight assault by jihadist fighters on a military base in northeast Nigeria, marking the second death of a senior officer in five months.

The attack occurred in Benisheikh, about 75 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, where suspected insurgents reportedly overran a military formation, killing at least 18 soldiers and destroying operational assets.

Kaga Local Government Chairman, Zannah Lawan Ajimi, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, stating that the brigade commander, O.O. Braimah, was among those killed.

“Unfortunately, the brigade commander lost his life,” he said.

Two intelligence sources also corroborated the killing of the senior officer, noting that the attackers overwhelmed troops during the raid. One of the sources put the casualty figure at “at least 18,” while another disclosed that several soldiers were killed, with military vehicles and buildings set ablaze before the assailants withdrew.

The latest incident comes months after the killing of Musa Uba, who died in a similar attack attributed to the Islamic State West Africa Province in November. His death was the highest-ranking military casualty recorded in the insurgency since 2021.

Nigeria has battled a protracted insurgency in its northeast for over a decade, following the 2009 uprising by Boko Haram, which has since splintered into multiple factions, including ISWAP.

As of press time, the Nigerian Army and Defence Headquarters had yet to issue an official statement on the attack.