Fresh accounts have emerged detailing how suspected insurgents launched a deadly midnight assault on a military formation in Benisheikh, Borno State, leading to the death of the Commander of the 29 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General Oseni Braimah.
Surviving troops described the attack as highly coordinated and overwhelming, saying the assailants struck multiple locations simultaneously around 12:30am, creating confusion and stretching the base’s defensive capacity.
The Nigerian Army, through Operation Hadin Kai, said the attack was repelled, insisting that reports of high casualties and equipment failure were inaccurate.
However, accounts from soldiers and residents suggested that fighters suspected to be from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) overran parts of the formation before troops regrouped.
A soldier who survived the incident said the attackers arrived in large numbers and from different directions, describing the assault as more coordinated than previous encounters.
Another said the numerical strength of the attackers created panic after rumours spread that other nearby positions had fallen.
According to the accounts, morale dropped significantly when reports emerged that the brigade commander had been killed, further complicating coordination during the firefight, which reportedly lasted over an hour.
Following the attack, conflicting narratives emerged over how Brigadier General Braimah died. Some reports suggested a vehicle malfunction, but military sources dismissed this, stating that the commander’s Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was operational but came under heavy fire and was immobilised during the battle.
An internal source within the formation said the attackers surrounded the base from multiple fronts, forcing troops into a difficult defensive position, while another source pointed to challenges in operational logistics and equipment maintenance within the unit.
Residents of Benisheikh said the attack triggered widespread panic, with civilians fleeing their homes as gunfire and explosions echoed through the town.
Several shops, vehicles, and properties were reportedly destroyed as the fighting spilled into civilian areas.
One resident said both soldiers and civilians were forced to seek cover in the chaos, while others described scenes of burning structures and abandoned vehicles along major roads.
Operation Hadin Kai later dismissed claims of exaggerated casualty figures, insisting that only a small number of personnel were lost and that troops successfully repelled the attackers, forcing them into retreat.
The military also condemned what it described as misinformation circulating about the incident, urging the public to disregard unverified reports.
The killing of Brigadier General Braimah adds to a growing list of senior officers lost in counterinsurgency operations in the North-East, including previous incidents involving senior commanders killed during ambushes and coordinated attacks in recent years.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has expressed condolences to the armed forces and families of fallen soldiers, praising troops for their bravery and reaffirming the government’s commitment to defeating insurgency and restoring peace in affected regions.
