Suspected Boko Haram insurgents carried out a deadly attack on a military base in Borno State, killing the commanding officer of the facility.
The attack by Boko Haram members reportedly overwhelmed troops at the base, with the insurgents destroying operational assets during the fierce confrontation.
Security sources said the attackers stormed the base in a coordinated offensive around 12:30 a.m. on Monday at the military base in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno.
According to the sources, the attack forced soldiers to retreat, while the terrorists set several military vehicles ablaze and looted weapons and ammunition stored in the facility.
One security operative familiar with the situation confirmed the death of the commanding officer during the attack, describing it as a heavy loss for the military unit involved.
“It is deeply unfortunate that the commanding officer was among those killed,” the source said. “The troops fought hard, but the attackers arrived in large numbers and overran the position.”
Another security source explained that the insurgents approached the camp from different directions, enabling them to break through the defensive perimeter before soldiers could effectively repel the assault.
“The attackers launched a simultaneous strike from multiple entry points. They overwhelmed the soldiers, burned vehicles, and took away arms before withdrawing,” he added.
Meanwhile, residents familiar with the incident said the same military position had previously repelled an earlier attack by insurgents, with troops reportedly killing several militants during that confrontation.
That earlier success drew widespread praise from members of the local community, who celebrated the soldiers and commended the commanding officer for the troops’ resilience at the time.
The lawmaker representing Kukawa in the Borno State House of Assembly, Karta Lawan, had also publicly praised the soldiers after the earlier defensive victory.
However, reacting to the latest development, the lawmaker described the renewed assault and the loss of the military commander as deeply troubling.
“It is heartbreaking to hear that the base has now been overrun and that lives were lost,” he said. “Our communities depend on the military for protection, so this development is painful.”
The Guild reports that this latest attack comes shortly after another attack by suspected insurgents on a military installation and an internally displaced persons camp in Ngoshe town, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, where several soldiers and civilians were reportedly killed.
