New Details Emerge: How Terrorists Laid Ambush That Killed Brigadier General Braimah

The late senior officer was reportedly killed during a violent midnight attack on a military base in Benisheikh, Borno State.

The assault, which occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, was carried out by suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, who launched coordinated strikes on multiple military positions in the area. Benisheikh, located in Kaga Local Government Area along the Maiduguri–Damaturu highway, was among the key targets.

While the Nigerian Army maintained that the attack was repelled and rejected reports of heavy casualties and equipment failure, accounts from survivors and local residents suggested a more coordinated and overwhelming offensive by the insurgents, which caused significant destruction.

Witnesses who spoke to Punch described how the attackers stormed at least three military formations simultaneously before advancing into nearby civilian areas.

A soldier who survived the incident, speaking anonymously, said the scale of the attack was unlike anything previously experienced. According to him, the attackers arrived in large numbers from multiple directions, indicating prior knowledge of troop positions.

Another survivor said the attackers’ numerical strength gave them a clear advantage during the confrontation, forcing troops into a difficult defensive position.

He added that morale among soldiers dropped sharply after reports spread that other locations had been overrun and that some personnel had been killed.

Confusion reportedly intensified when news filtered in that the Brigade Commander had been killed, further weakening coordination among the troops and prompting some to retreat toward the town.

Sources said the gun battle lasted for over an hour and a half, with sustained exchanges of fire and explosions that forced both soldiers and civilians to flee for safety.

Following the attack, conflicting reports emerged about the circumstances of General Braimah’s death, including claims that he was killed due to a malfunctioning Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.

However, military sources disputed this account, stating that the vehicle was set ablaze by the attackers during the assault.

A senior source described suggestions of mechanical failure as inaccurate, insisting that the situation on the ground was far more complex and chaotic.

Another insider noted that only those present at the exact moment of the attack could fully account for what happened, adding that many of the personnel involved did not survive to provide testimony.