Insurgents Kill Colonel, Other Soldiers in Borno

By George OPARA

Terrorists have reportedly killed a Nigerian Army colonel, I.A Mohammed, and some soldiers in Borno State.

Sahara Reporters, on online newspaper reported the officer and soldiers were killed in an overnight attack on a military base in Monguno

In a post on X, Philip Brant, a jihadi researcher who has been monitoring violence in Borno and other parts of Lake Chad, including the Sahel, attributed the attack to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a 2016 breakaway faction of Boko Haram.

Mr Brant said four soldiers were killed alongside the Army officer.

But military authorities have not issued an official statement about the attack, and an enquiry sent to Army spokesperson Appolonia Anele, had not been responded to.

The Army colonel was the second high-ranking officer to be killed in less than a week.

On 9 April, terrorists killed some officers, including a brigadier general, Oseni Braimah, in Benisheikh, Borno State.

ISWAP claimed responsibility for the attack and two other assaults on military formations in Pulka and Warabe.

In its propaganda message, the terror group said it killed three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and five soldiers, including Mr Braimah.

However, the military said two officers and two soldiers were killed. The army did not disclose the names or ranks of the officers and soldiers killed.

ISWAP has intensified attacks on military formations since the beginning of this year with at least four senior officers killed so far.

In response, the military continued to launch by offensives, including aerial assaults against the group, disrupting their operations and destroying their camps.