Terrorists in northeast Nigeria have killed a brigadier general during an assault on a military base, marking the second death of a senior officer within five months.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has battled a prolonged insurgency for 17 years following Boko Haram’s 2009 uprising, which led to the emergence of splinter factions such as Islamic State West Africa Province.
In an overnight raid, suspected terrorists killed at least 18 soldiers and set vehicles ablaze at a military base in Benisheikh, located about 75 kilometres from Maiduguri, according to an intelligence source.
“Unfortunately, the brigade commander, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, lost his life,” said Zannah Lawan Ajimi during a telephone interview.
Two intelligence sources also confirmed the death of Brigadier General Braimah.
His killing follows that of Brigadier General Musa Uba, who was killed by ISWAP in November, making him the most senior military officer to die in the conflict since 2021.
“They overran the brigade,” one intelligence source said, putting the death toll at “at least” 18.
Another source stated that the attackers “killed several troops” and “burnt vehicles and buildings before they withdrew,” without specifying the number of casualties.
There was no immediate response from the Nigerian Army or the Defence Headquarters regarding the incident.
Rising insecurity
Security analysts have warned of an escalation in violence since 2025.
The city of Maiduguri has experienced two suicide bombings since December, signalling a resurgence of urban ആക്രമણs reminiscent of the insurgency’s peak.
The United States Department of State on Wednesday authorised the departure of non-essential government personnel from Abuja, citing a deteriorating security situation.
Although the insurgency remains concentrated in the northeast, armed groups have increasingly expanded into other regions, including the northwest and parts of western Nigeria, where criminal gangs—often referred to as bandits—have long carried out raids and extortion.
Recent attacks have been particularly deadly, with at least 90 people reportedly killed across several remote villages in northwest Nigeria this week, based on figures from local and humanitarian sources.
One such assault in Kebbi State was attributed by police to a local group known as Mahmuda, which has links to Al-Qaeda.
Kebbi, which borders Benin and Niger, has witnessed a growing number of terrorist incidents since 2025.
According to conflict monitoring group ACLED, violence in the region has surged, driven by militants affiliated with both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
In neighbouring Kwara State, fighters linked to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM claimed responsibility for an attack in October, underscoring concerns that the Sahel conflict is spreading southwards towards coastal West Africa.
In December, the United States, in coordination with Nigerian authorities, carried out airstrikes in Sokoto State targeting fighters from the Islamic State Sahel Province, typically active in neighbouring Niger as well as Mali and Burkina Faso.