Suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province have reportedly killed a senior Nigerian Army officer, Brig.-Gen. O. O. Braimah, during a midnight assault on a military formation in Benesheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.
Braimah, who was said to be a Brigade Commander with the Joint Task Force, was among those killed when the insurgents stormed the town in a coordinated attack.
A security analyst, Brant Philip, confirmed the development in a post shared on Thursday, detailing the scale of the ആക്രമation on the military base.
“ISWAP attacked the Nigerian military camp in Benisheikh, northeast Nigeria,” Philip wrote.
“Large fire sources were detected from inside the camp and according to security reports, Commanding Officer O.O. Braimah was killed during the attack.”
In a follow-up post, he added that the slain officer is the most senior military casualty in recent months.
“The Nigerian Commanding Officer killed by ISWAP during last night’s attack in Benisheikh was ranked Brigadier General, the highest level officer killed since the ambush that took the life of Brigadier General Uba late 2025 in Borno State as well,” he stated.
Local sources also indicated that the violence extended beyond the military facility, with casualties recorded among civilians, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, security personnel, and several insurgents during simultaneous attacks on Benesheikh and nearby Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area.
A resident, Malam Lawal Benesheikh, corroborated the incident in a Facebook post, expressing grief over the loss.
“Innalillahi wa Inna’illaihin raji’un. Boko Haram has again, unfortunately, succeeded in eliminating the commanding officer of Benisheikh,” he wrote.
“This unfortunate incident occurred yesterday night when the insurgents stormed the military formation in large numbers. May the souls of the fallen heroes rest in peace.”
