A Nigerian Army commander collapsed during a counterterrorism training on Saturday and died shortly thereafter at a military hospital in Maiduguri, Peoples Gazette can report.

Lieutenant-colonel Isah Yusuf, commander officer of the 158 Task Force Battalion, collapsed at about 8:40 a.m. on Saturday while addressing the troops as part of a routine training against Boko Haram insurgents, sources said. 

He died at about 9:45 a.m. on Saturday at the Nigerian Army 7 Division medical facility in Maiduguri, military sources said under anonymity to the Gazette. It was not immediately clear the nature of his complications.

A spokesman for the Nigerian Army did not return calls seeking comments from the Gazette about the development on Saturday evening. 

The Gazette learnt that the Nigerian Army Headquarters had sent a text message to the family, informing them about the development before a formal team of military officers would be dispatched to formally notify the family.

Nigerian offensive against Boko Haram insurgents has continued to claim lives of both senior officers and the rank-and-file, despite frequent promises by military and political leaders that the war was on its final legs.