Boko Haram kills commanding officer in fresh attack on Borno military base

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have launched another assault on a military formation in Borno State, killing the commanding officer and several soldiers.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Monday in Kukawa Local Government Area.

A resident of the area said the insurgents struck the military base at about 12:30 a.m.

“They (terrorists) stormed the town from multiple directions and launched an attack on the military camp,” the source said.

According to another security source, the attackers forced troops out of the camp, burned military vehicles and made away with weapons and ammunition.

“I cannot say much about the casualties but it’s very sad that we also lost the CO (commanding officer) here,” one of the security sources said.

The same military location had been targeted by the insurgents last month, but soldiers successfully repelled the assault, killing several terrorists.

The troops’ response at the time drew praise from the community, and the commanding officer received commendations, including recognition on social media.

The member representing Kukawa Local Government Area in the Borno State House of Assembly, Karta Maina Ma’aji Lawan, had also celebrated the soldiers for their bravery after the previous attack.

Reacting to the latest development, the lawmaker expressed sadness that the base was successfully overrun during this incident.

The assault follows another recent attack by terrorists on a military base and an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Ngoshe town in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, where several soldiers and civilians were reportedly killed.