Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched a deadly assault on a military formation in Benesheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State, leaving a senior Army commander feared dead.
The Brigade Commander of the Joint Task Force in the area, Brigadier-General O. Braimah, was reportedly among those feared dead when heavily armed insurgents stormed the base late Wednesday night.
Security sources said the attackers struck in large numbers, overwhelming the formation in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
Several insurgents were also said to have been neutralised during the confrontation.
Local accounts described the attack as sudden and intense, raising fresh concerns over the resilience of insurgent operations in the North-East.
A resident, Mallam Lawa Benesheikh, in a social media post, lamented the development, saying the insurgents had “again succeeded” in killing the commanding officer of the formation.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Kaga Local Government Area, Hon. Zanna Ajimi, said the brigade commander was among the casualties recorded.
“Yes, we just left the military base, and I can confirm that the brigade commander is among those killed,” he said.
The latest attack underscores ongoing security challenges in Borno State, despite sustained military operations against insurgent groups in the region.
