Brigadier-General Killed in ISWAP Attack After Armoured Vehicle Fails to Start

Fresh and disturbing details have emerged about the circumstances surrounding the death of Brigadier-General O.O. Braimoh, who was killed during a devastating terrorist attack on a military base in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to military sources, the senior officer was unable to escape the assault after the armoured vehicle he attempted to use reportedly developed a fault at the height of the attack.

The attack, carried out by fighters linked to ISWAP (the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram), struck on Wednesday night when insurgents stormed the military formation with heavy gunfire and explosives. The assault lasted several hours and left an unspecified number of soldiers dead, with several others injured or missing.

A military source who spoke to reporters revealed the heartbreaking sequence of events. The late brigade commander had attempted to leave the base as insurgents advanced, trying to escape in a bulletproof armoured vehicle — but the vehicle failed to start.

“When the attack was ongoing, the Brigade Commander, O.O. Braimoh, was trying to manoeuvre his way out. He attempted to leave in a bulletproof vehicle,” the source said. “However, the vehicle failed to start. That was how he was captured and eventually killed by the insurgents.”

Even more alarming are allegations that negligence and corruption among senior military officers may have contributed to the tragedy. The source claimed that funds released by the Federal Government for vehicle maintenance and fuel are sometimes mismanaged or not properly utilised.

“The Federal Government has released funds for vehicle maintenance and fuel, but some commanders fail to utilise them properly,” the source alleged. “If a vehicle develops a fault and junior officers report it, they are told to ‘manage it’. Even requests for fuel are often ignored.”

The source added that the armoured vehicle Braimoh attempted to use during the attack had existing mechanical issues that had reportedly been flagged but ignored.

Braimoh was killed alongside the Brigade Imam and several other officers. President Tinubu has expressed deep sadness over the loss, describing the fallen soldiers as “our unforgettable heroes” and urging officers to continue serving with honour, courage, and patriotism.

The attack marks the second loss of a senior military officer in recent months and raises serious questions about equipment readiness and operational preparedness in the fight against insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast.