A commanding officer of the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq, has reportedly been killed following a deadly attack by Boko Haram insurgents on a military base in Borno State.
Security sources said the senior officer died during a coordinated assault by fighters believed to belong to the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram on a military formation in Kukuwa town, located in Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday, reportedly saw heavily armed militants storm the base and engage troops in a fierce battle before overpowering the soldiers stationed at the facility.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the insurgents dislodged troops from the base, set several military vehicles ablaze and looted weapons and ammunition.
After overrunning the military position, the attackers reportedly moved into parts of the surrounding community where residents came under assault.
A security source confirmed on Monday that Lieutenant Colonel Farouq, who served as the commanding officer of the base, was among the soldiers killed during the attack.
“The commanding officer here, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq, and some of his troops have been confirmed dead already. It is a very painful loss,” the source said.
The latest killing comes barely three days after another senior officer of the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, was killed by insurgents in a separate attack in Borno State.
Iliyasu, who commanded the 222 Battalion, reportedly died alongside several of his soldiers during an attack on a military formation in Konduga Local Government Area.
Security sources say the deaths of the two commanding officers highlight a troubling surge in attacks on military formations in the North-East.
In recent months, insurgent groups have intensified raids on military bases, targeting troops with coordinated assaults in different parts of Borno State.
Between Thursday night and the early hours of Friday, terrorists reportedly carried out simultaneous attacks on at least four military bases in Konduga, Mainok, Jakana and Marte.
Sources said the attacks began around 10 p.m. in Konduga, Mainok and Jakana, before another group of fighters struck the military base in Marte at about 3 a.m.
The gunmen reportedly arrived in separate groups and opened heavy fire on the bases, sparking prolonged gun battles with soldiers.
During the attacks, several armoured tanks and military vehicles were reportedly destroyed, while the insurgents allegedly seized large quantities of ammunition from the affected facilities.
A military source said troops were able to inflict casualties on the attackers during the confrontations.
“Several attacks on military bases under Operation Hadin Kai were carried out by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists in Konduga, Mainok and Jakana around 10:30 p.m., while the attack in Marte happened around 3 a.m.,” the source said.
“The attacks on military bases are becoming more frequent within the North-East theatre of operations.”
According to the source, Konduga lies along the Bama axis close to Maiduguri, while Mainok and Jakana are located along the Maiduguri–Damaturu highway, a major route connecting Borno and Yobe states.
Marte, another town affected by the attacks, is located beyond Dikwa Local Government Area and sits close to the border with Chad.
Although soldiers reportedly killed several insurgents during the fighting, sources said the attackers managed to temporarily seize control of some of the military bases.
“They took over some of these bases for hours without air support from the Nigerian Air Force,” the source said.
“As they usually do, they burned the camps and military equipment before leaving.”
Multiple sources also claimed that more than 40 bodies of soldiers were recovered following the attacks, though the Nigerian military has yet to officially confirm the casualty figures.
The renewed attacks come amid growing concerns over the resurgence of insurgent violence in the North-East.
Less than 24 hours before one of the military base assaults, Boko Haram fighters reportedly attacked Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area, killing several civilians and abducting a number of women.
Sources said the militants first targeted a military post in the area before moving into the community where they launched attacks on residents in the early hours of the morning.
During the raid, the insurgents reportedly invaded the 82 Division Task Force Battalion under the 26 Brigade and also attacked a camp for internally displaced persons in the community.
Earlier in the month, several soldiers, including a Major identified as Ibrahim Mairiga, were killed during an attack on a forward operating base at Banki Junction along the Bama–Gwoza road.
In February, another military base in Jakana, Kaga Local Government Area, also came under attack, with insurgents reportedly destroying armoured tanks and military vehicles before escaping with weapons and ammunition.
Security observers warn that the repeated attacks on military formations suggest that insurgent groups remain capable of launching large-scale operations despite ongoing counterinsurgency efforts by Nigerian troops.
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