Fallen Heroes: Brig Gen Braimah and Soldiers Buried With Full Military Honours in Borno

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday buried Brigadier General Omo Braimah, Captain Azubuike Michael Esimai, and other soldiers killed in the Benisheikh attack with full military honours at the Maimalari Cantonment Cemetery in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum attended, alongside Senator Ali Ndume, Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa (Rtd), the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and other senior military officers. Family members of the deceased were also present.

What happened at Benisheikh

The soldiers were killed on April 9 when suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters launched a coordinated assault on the 29 Task Force Brigade headquarters at Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area. Brigadier General Braimah was the highest-ranking casualty — a senior officer killed on active duty, which is rare and deeply significant. Captain Esimai and another officer identified as Captain Ismail were also among the fallen.

The Army confirmed the burial in a statement on its official Facebook page, describing the sacrifice of the fallen heroes as “a poignant reminder of the heavy price paid daily by members of the Armed Forces to safeguard the peace, unity and security of Nigeria.”

Why this ceremony mattered

Full military honours for a brigadier general — the gun salutes, the draped flags, the honour guard — are reserved for those who gave everything. But the ceremony also carried a harder truth. Brigadier General Braimah was a senior officer killed in an attack on a well-fortified military installation. The security situation that claimed his life has not fundamentally changed.

Governor Zulum has been increasingly vocal about the toll the insurgency continues to take on Borno. His presence at the burial was not just ceremonial — it was a statement that the fight continues and the fallen are remembered.

Prayers were offered for the repose of the soldiers’ souls. Citations detailing their service were read before their next of kin. The grief of the families was a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict, even as their courage remained a source of pride.

Sources: NaijaNews, Daily Post, Okay News, Channels TV