- REVEALED: how terrorists killed another army general, ors, in Borno
Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah and 17 soldiers paid the supreme price early Thursday, 9th April, during coordinated attacks by suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants.
The insurgents targeted military formations in Benisheikh (Kaga LGA), as well as Ngamdu and Pulka (Gwoza LGA) in Borno State.
The late Brig. Gen. Braimah served as the Brigade Commander of the 29 Task Force Brigade Headquarters in Benisheikh.
The attack
According to Daily Trust, the terrorists invaded three military installations using heavy gunfire and explosives. The assault left at least 18 personnel dead and several others critically injured.
Local sources in Benisheikh reported that the insurgents opened fire on the facility sporadically. “The brigade commander, his second-in-command, and the Brigade Imam, along with several soldiers, were killed in an attack that lasted several hours,” sources confirmed.
The insurgents reportedly struck Benisheikh at approximately 1:00 AM on Thursday, setting fire to trucks and commercial vehicles. Motorists and passengers—stranded due to the nightly closure of the Maiduguri-Damaturu Road—were among those targeted.
Diversionary tactics
In what appeared to be a sophisticated strategy, the terrorists launched initial attacks in Pulka and Bakin Ruwa at pm to draw focus away from their primary targets.
Pulka: Insurgents looted food shops and destroyed equipment belonging to a road construction firm, setting vehicles ablaze.
Ngamdu: Sources suggest the attack here was a diversion to prevent reinforcements from reaching the 29 Task Force Brigade in Benisheikh.
Military confirmation
Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, confirmed the breach of the defensive perimeter at the 29 Task Force Brigade.
He stated that troops of Operation HADIN KAI responded with “exceptional courage and superior firepower,” forcing the attackers to retreat.
While the military acknowledged the loss of “brave and gallant soldiers,” the statement did not explicitly name Brig. Gen. Braimah among the casualties, though it noted the Commander led the counteraction.
The High Command urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information on social media.
Profile: Brig. Gen. Oseni Braimah
Commissioned into the Nigerian Army in September 2000, Brig. Gen. Braimah was a highly decorated officer with an extensive academic and field background:
Education: B.A. in History (NDA); M.A. in International Relations (Benue State University); M.A. in Defence Studies (King’s College, London).
Experience: UN Observer (2011–2012); Deputy Chief of Staff, Guard Brigade (2014); Defence Adviser to Pakistan (2021–2024).
Recent Post: Chief of Staff, 6 Division (Port Harcourt) before his final posting to Benisheikh in March 2025.
A Growing trend
The death of General Braimah underscores a “dangerous pattern” of high-ranking casualties. Within the last two months, the military has lost several senior officers:
Major U.I. Mairiga (Bama LGA)
Lt-Col Umar Faruq (Kukawa LGA)
Lt-Col S.I. Iliyasu (Konduga)
Dr. Musa Usman Konduga of the University of Maiduguri warned that targeting commanders could demoralize troops and erode public confidence. “If these high-ranking officers are being killed, civilians feel no one is safe. The military must shift from stationary defense to mobile, intelligence-led operations,” he stated.
Presidential and union responses
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed his condolences, praising the heroism of the 29 Task Force Brigade. “The insurgents’ counterattack is a sign of desperation,” the President remarked, vowing that the sacrifices of the fallen would not be in vain.
Simultaneously, Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Festus Osifo, called for immediate action. Osifo urged the Federal Government to stop treating security breaches as a routine for press statements and instead provide frontline troops with state-of-the-art technology to “confront these terrorists once and for all.”
