Terrorists Kill Brigadier General, 18 Soldiers In Fresh Borno Base Attack
A senior Nigerian Military Officer, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, has been killed after terrorists launched a deadly overnight assault on a Military base in Benisheikh, about 75 kilometres from Maiduguri.
According to an AFP report on Thursday, the attackers stormed the brigade base, killing at least 18 Soldiers and destroying several Military vehicles and buildings before withdrawing.
Chairman of Kaga Local Government Area, Zannah Lawan Ajimi, confirmed the death of Braimah during a telephone interview with AFP.
“Unfortunately, the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, lost his life,” Ajimi said.
Two intelligence sources also confirmed the killing, with one source saying the terrorists completely overran the Military formation.
“They overran the brigade,” one source told AFP, adding that no fewer than 18 troops died in the attack.
The incident marks the second time in five months that a top-ranking Nigerian military officer has been killed by terrorists. In November 2025, Brigadier General Musa Uba was reportedly killed by the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Nigeria has battled insurgency in the northeast since 2009, when Boko Haram launched its uprising. Over the years, the conflict has produced several splinter groups, including ISWAP, with attacks continuing across parts of the Country.
Security experts and researchers have warned of a worsening security situation since 2025, particularly in northern Nigeria.
The latest attack comes as Maiduguri has witnessed two suicide bombings since December, reviving fears of a return to the intense urban violence seen during the peak of the insurgency a decade ago.
On Wednesday, the United States Department of State authorised non-emergency U.S. Government employees to leave Abuja, citing deteriorating security conditions in Nigeria.
Beyond the Northeast, insecurity has also spread to parts of northwestern Nigeria. Gunmen reportedly killed at least 90 people in separate attacks across remote communities this week.
In Kebbi State, police blamed one of the attacks on a local militant group known as Mahmuda, which they said has links to Al‑Qaeda.
Security monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project has also reported a surge in attacks linked to Militants affiliated with both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group in northwestern Nigeria and neighbouring Sahel Countries.
