The Nigerian military has suffered significant losses in Borno State over the past week, with at least three commanding officers killed in attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Grassroots Parrot reports that this brings the total to seven senior officers, including one brigadier general, killed in the last three months, highlighting the persistent threat posed by insurgents despite intensified military operations.
The latest casualty occurred on March 9, when insurgents overran a military camp in Kukawa LGA, killing the commanding officer, Lt-Col Umar Faruq, along with several soldiers.
A security source described the attack: “They stormed the town from multiple directions, dislodged the troops, set vehicles ablaze and carted away ammunition.”
Other recent losses include Major U.I. Mairiga, commander of the Mayenti base in Bama, and Lt-Col S.I. Iliyasu of Konduga.
In each case, officers reportedly resisted fiercely, with many insurgents killed before the troops were overpowered. Local sources say these attacks occurred during both base assaults and ambushes on clearing operations.
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Military operations have been intensified across high-risk areas, including the Sambisa Forest, Timbuktu Triangle, Mandara Mountains, and Lake Chad Basin.
Statements from Operation Hadin Kai confirm that troops have destroyed multiple terrorist camps and inflicted casualties on insurgent fighters, recovering weapons and ammunition in the process.
However, insurgents continue to launch coordinated attacks on bases and civilian communities, including Dalwa, Goniri, Mainok, and Ngoshe, displacing residents and causing significant destruction.
Security expert and former DSS Director Mike Ejiofor described the loss of senior officers as alarming but expressed confidence in the military’s eventual success.
He urged citizens to provide credible intelligence to security forces and recommended long-term reforms, including the establishment of state police, to enhance local security.
The military has reiterated its commitment to neutralizing insurgent threats.
According to Lt-Col Sani Uba, spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, all attacked locations remain under military control, and follow-up operations—including cordon-and-search missions—are ongoing to track fleeing insurgents.