BREAKING: Army General Feared Killed in Fresh Boko Haram Attack

A Brigade Commander of the Joint Task Force in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State, Brigadier General O. O. Braimah, is feared dead following a deadly midnight attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents.

According to local sources, the attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday when heavily armed insurgents stormed Benisheikh town at about 1:00 a.m. The assault reportedly led to the deaths of civilians, security personnel, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, and several insurgents.

The attackers also set trucks ablaze and destroyed multiple commercial vehicles. Motorists and passengers traveling along the Maiduguri–Damaturu Road were stranded overnight due to the routine evening closure of the highway.

Sources disclosed that Brig. Gen. Braimah was among those killed during the confrontation, alongside other security operatives.

“Scores of the insurgents were neutralized by troops in Benisheikh. Unfortunately, some security personnel, including the Brigade Commander, paid the supreme price. Several vehicles were also taken by the attackers,” a local source said.

A resident of the town, Malam Lawal Benisheikh, confirmed the incident in a Facebook post, expressing grief over the loss:
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. Boko Haram has again succeeded in killing the commanding officer in Benisheikh. The insurgents stormed the military formation in large numbers.

May the souls of the fallen heroes rest in peace.”
Further reports indicate that the insurgents initially launched attacks around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Pulka and Bakin Ruwa communities in Gwoza Local Government Area. During the assault, they reportedly overran a military base and set equipment and facilities ablaze.

By about 1:00 a.m., the attackers extended their operations to Benisheikh and Ngamdu towns, where they allegedly overran the 29 Task Force Brigade and destroyed several military vehicles.
In Pulka, the insurgents were also said to have looted food items from shops and vandalized facilities, including machinery belonging to a road construction company.

Pulka currently hosts thousands of internally displaced persons who fled earlier attacks in nearby communities, raising further concerns about the humanitarian situation in the area.
As of the time of filing this report, the Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI had not issued an official statement regarding the incident.