₦airaland Forum

Jihadists in northeast Nigeria killed several troops including a brigadier general in an assault on a military base, local government and intelligence sources told AFP on Thursday, the second killing of a high-ranking officer in five months.

Violence is surging across the country’s mostly Muslim north, with at least 90 people killed by gunmen in several remote villages since Sunday night, according to an AFP tally of tolls given by local, humanitarian and church sources.


Africa’s most populous country has been fighting a jihadist insurgency for 17 years, since Boko Haram’s 2009 uprising, which has seen the emergence of powerful splinter groups including Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).



Four sources, including the military confirmed the overnight attack, with one intelligence source putting the death toll at 18.

Unidentified jihadists overran the military base, killed 18 soldiers and torched vehicles in Benisheikh, about 75 kilometres (47 miles) from Borno state capital Maiduguri, an intelligence source told AFP.

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“Unfortunately, the brigade commander, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, lost his life,” Kaga local government chairman, Zannah Lawan Ajimi told AFP on the phone.

Two intelligence sources confirmed Braimah’s death to AFP.

His death follows the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba by ISWAP in November. He was the highest-ranking military official to die in the long-running conflict since 2021.

“They overran the brigade,” one of the intelligence sources said, giving the death toll as “at least” 18.

The second intelligence source said that “the terrorists killed several troops” and “burnt vehicles and buildings before they withdrew”, without giving a toll.


Nigeria’s military said that “insurgents attempted to breach the defensive perimeter of the military installation” but were “decisively engaged and forced to retreat in disarray”.

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The statement, from Major General Michael Onoja, a defence headquarters spokesman, said that the attack “resulted in the loss of a few brave and gallant soldiers”, without disclosing a toll or who was killed.

– Rising jihadist violence –
Researchers have warned of an uptick in violence since last year.

Borno capital Maiduguri has seen two suicide bombings since December — the type of bloody, urban attacks reminiscent of the insurgency’s peak a decade ago.

On Wednesday, the US State Department said in a notice it was authorising “non-emergency US government employees” to leave Abuja “due to the deteriorating security situation”.

While the insurgency is concentrated in the northeastern countryside, jihadists from Nigeria and the neighbouring Sahel have made inroads in western Nigeria, where organised crime gangs known as “bandits” have been raiding villages and extorting farmers and artisanal miners for years.

The spate of attacks that has left 90 dead this week included an assault in Kebbi state that police blamed on a local jihadist group known as Mahmuda, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

Other assaults included those blamed on bandits, which the Christian Association of Nigeria said launched raids “from one village to the next” over three days, without military intervention.

Father Illah Vincent Iko, CAN coordinator for Shanga area in Kebbi, said there were at least 1,900 people displaced by the attacks.

Kebbi sits on Nigeria’s border with Benin and Niger and since 2025 has been targeted by a rising number of jihadist attacks.

Conflict monitor ACLED says there has been a surge in violence in the area carried out by militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

In nearby Kwara state, in October, fighters from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM claimed an attack after years of researchers warning that the jihadist conflict ravaging the Sahel risked spreading south towards coastal west African states.

In December, the United States, with Nigerian assistance, bombed northwest Sokoto state, targeting Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) fighters usually found in neighbouring Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso.

Earlier this year, the United States began deploying 200 troops to Nigeria to provide technical and training support to the country’s soldiers in fighting jihadist groups.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/04/brig-gen-17-soldiers-feared-killed-by-boko-haram-in-borno/

I thought it was only Brig. Gen. Nigeria taking out good men.

Rest in Peace, gallant men. Our C-in-C will rather concern himself with playing politics and scuttling opposition. Nigeria is currently on Trump's Fox news. It's only a matter of time.

https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2042290455019147577

The general wanted to flee in an armored vehicle but the vehicle no start,na Tinubu suppose service the vehicle for them because he is C in C the way their parents paid their school fees and attended classes for them too
We see the way Trump and nethanyahu put on camouflage and stay infront of their military at the war front.,that is what Tinubu too should emulate

See what they did to innocent southeastern youths and people here were cheering them.

Person speak the truth years back of all what is happening today sharp sharp una don sentence am to life in jail

Nlfpmod, what is the offence of GEJ.

As long as this issue is been turned to politics, nothing we happen, there would be continuity in the killings.ln view of this reason,mr president needs to see the issue as fire on the mountain as no one put fire on his roof and sleep soundly.A decisive action in collaboration with the known particularly American mercinery will go along way.Although,most people see America as intruder in Nigeria politics without weighing the continuous mass destruction of these evil men on daily basis.On the other hand, the central government is particular about 2027 elections.Haba! would they rule over the dead, if the election is won eventually? There should be high regards for the lives of Nigerian citizens.The blood of the innocent are crying and presidency would seemed to be nochallant.

tinibu is a terrible failure. He should resign.. he is old weak n incompetent. Wat a waste of time wit clueless tinibu

Good news😂🤣🤣🤣

fuckingAyaya:
See what they did to innocent southeastern youths and people here were cheering them.

Person speak the truth years back of all what is happening today sharp sharp una don sentence am to life in jail

That's why i don't pity them when they meet their kind in Northern Nigeria.



I love when pythons collect,it gives me Joy.

Brig. Gen Braimah was well know.

18 military people just like that.

THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL
Brigadier-General O.O Braimah was killed along with many soldiers yesterday Thursday April 9, in Borno State during an ambush by Boko Haram terrorists and their allies. It was reported that the criminals were well armed. However, the truth is that they cannot be better armed than our gallant troops. The main weapon the terrorists have is surprise. Only real intelligence operation can overwhelm the terrorists. Therefore, the war against terrorism must be waged by the full involvement of the DSS, DMI , NIA and similar agencies. If they do their work we'll, it would not be easy to betray heroes like Braimah. The government should order an investigation into these killings to ascertain where our roof is leaking. Rest in peace gallant warriors! My deepest condolences to the bereaved families

Those defending APC, should know life doesn't give warning before it happen.

Lanretoye:
The general wanted to flee in an armored vehicle but the vehicle no start,na Tinubu suppose service the vehicle for them because he is C in C the way their parents paid their school fees and attended classes for them too
We see the way Trump and nethanyahu put on camouflage and stay infront of their military at the war front.,that is what Tinubu too should emulate

APC supporters thought we've forgotten that Shettima once promised
"I will handle security. I will not only handle security. I will lead the troops to battle"

fuckingAyaya:
See what they did to innocent southeastern youths and people here were cheering them.

Person speak the truth years back of all what is happening today sharp sharp una don sentence am to life in jail

Those military guys have full erection when they come down to the south east.

If unknown bandit kill two soldiers in the south east, all the surrounding towns would be burnt down.

Chief mourner has spoken