Army commanding officer killed as Boko Haram overruns Borno base

A commanding officer in the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq, has reportedly been killed during a fresh attack by Boko Haram insurgents on a military base in Borno State.

Security sources said the senior officer was among several soldiers killed when militants suspected to be members of the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram launched a coordinated assault on a military formation in Kukuwa town, Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.

The attackers reportedly overwhelmed troops stationed at the base, forcing them to withdraw before setting several military vehicles ablaze and carting away ammunition.

According to sources familiar with the incident, the insurgents subsequently advanced into parts of the community, attacking residents shortly after overrunning the base.

Confirming the development on Monday, a source said the commanding officer of the formation, Lieutenant Colonel Farouq, died during the attack.

“The commanding officer here, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq, and some of his troops have been confirmed dead already. It is very sad,” the source said.

The killing comes less than 72 hours after another senior Nigerian Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, was killed alongside some of his soldiers in a separate attack by insurgents in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Iliyasu served as the Commanding Officer of the 222 Battalion before the deadly assault that reportedly claimed his life and those of several members of his unit.

Security sources say insurgents have intensified attacks on military formations across parts of Borno State in recent months, targeting bases and convoys in coordinated operations.

Between late Thursday night and the early hours of Friday, insurgents reportedly carried out simultaneous attacks on at least four military locations in Konduga, Mainok, Jakana and Marte towns.

The attacks reportedly began around 10 p.m. in Konduga, Mainok and Jakana, while the assault on Marte occurred around 3 a.m.

Sources said the attackers arrived in multiple groups and opened fire on the military facilities, causing significant casualties and damage to equipment.

During the assaults, several armoured tanks and military vehicles were reportedly destroyed, while the insurgents allegedly seized large quantities of ammunition from the affected bases.

A military source said troops engaged the attackers in fierce gun battles and succeeded in killing several insurgents during the confrontations.

“Several attacks on military bases under Operation Hadin Kai were carried out by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists in Konduga, Mainok and Jakana around 10:30 p.m., while the attack in Marte happened around 3 a.m.,” the source said.

“The attacks on military bases have been increasing on a daily basis within the North-East theatre of operations.”

The source explained that Konduga lies along the Bama axis close to Maiduguri, while Mainok and Jakana are located along the Maiduguri–Damaturu highway, a strategic route linking Borno and Yobe states.

Marte, another town targeted in the attacks, is located beyond Dikwa Local Government Area and lies close to the border with Chad.

Although the military reportedly inflicted casualties on the insurgents during the confrontations, sources said the attackers managed to temporarily overrun some of the bases.

“They took over some of these bases for hours without air support from the Nigerian Air Force,” one of the sources said.

“As they usually do, they burned the camps together with military equipment before leaving.”

Multiple sources also disclosed that more than 40 bodies of soldiers were recovered after the attacks, although the military has yet to officially confirm the casualty figures.

The renewed violence comes amid a series of recent attacks by insurgents across communities and military positions in the state.

Less than 24 hours before one of the assaults on the military bases, Boko Haram fighters reportedly attacked Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area, killing an unspecified number of civilians and abducting several women.

Security sources said the militants first targeted a military post in the area before moving into the community and launching attacks on residents in the early hours of the morning.

During the raid, the insurgents also attacked the 82 Division Task Force Battalion under the 26 Brigade and reportedly stormed a camp for internally displaced persons in the area.

Earlier in the month, another attack on a forward operating base at Banki Junction along the Bama–Gwoza road reportedly left several soldiers dead, including a Major identified as Ibrahim Mairiga.

In February, insurgents also attacked a military base in Jakana, located in Kaga Local Government Area, where armoured tanks and military vehicles were reportedly destroyed and weapons seized.

In a separate incident earlier this year, seven soldiers, including a newly promoted lieutenant colonel, were killed in an ambush by insurgents.

Security sources said the officer, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed, was leading troops from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area when their convoy came under heavy attack.

The attackers reportedly used explosives and heavy gunfire during the ambush, leaving several soldiers dead and others seriously injured.