Nigerian Brigadier-General O.O. Braimah killed in coordinated terrorist attacks in Borno

Africa, Crime Diary

ABUJA, Nigeria, 9 April 2026 (NPA) — Brigadier-General O.O. Braimah, Commander of the 29 Task Force Brigade in Benisheikh, has been confirmed killed in coordinated overnight attacks by suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in Borno State, northeast Nigeria.

Military sources said the insurgents launched simultaneous assaults on Benisheikh in Kaga Local Government Area and Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area around 1:00 a.m. on Thursday. The attackers reportedly overran a military base, setting vehicles and facilities ablaze before looting supplies.

Alongside General Braimah, several security personnel—including the Brigade’s Imam—and civilians were killed. The military reported that dozens of insurgents were neutralised during the fierce gun battle.

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The Nigerian Army is yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, which once again underscores how terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP are able to carry out strategic attacks against military positions in northeastern Nigeria despite ongoing counter‑insurgency operations.

In the last two weeks, following the Maiduguri attacks, the Army has claimed to have decimated scores of terrorists and destroyed their camps in the northeast. However, the military continues to face public scrutiny over waves of killings by insurgents across the country, including in Kwara, Plateau, Borno, Yobe, Sokoto and other states where active terrorist enclaves persist.

The death of General Braimah marks a significant setback for Nigerian forces battling insurgency in the northeast. It follows the loss of other senior officers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba in late 2025, highlighting the escalating toll of the conflict.