A brigade commander of the Joint Task Force, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, has been killed in a suspected Boko Haram ambush in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Sources said the attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday when insurgents launched coordinated attacks on Benisheikh and nearby communities.

The Daily Trust also reported that the attackers set trucks and commercial vehicles ablaze, forcing motorists and passengers along the Maiduguri–Damaturu Road to abandon their journeys after the routine evening closure of the highway.

A local said the insurgents attacked Pulka and Bakin Ruwa communities in the Gwoza Local Government Area around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and reportedly overran a military base and destroyed several hardware.

“Then at about 1 a.m., the terrorists launched another attack on Benisheikh and Ngamdu towns, overrunning the 29 Task Force Brigade and destroying several military vehicles,” the source said.

Some witnesses added that scores of insurgents were killed during the shootout, alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and security agents.

“Unfortunately, some security agents, including the brigade commander, were killed, while several vehicles were also carted away by the terrorists,” one of the locals said.

The insurgents were also said to have looted food items and destroyed facilities, including equipment belonging to a road construction company in Pulka.

The military headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai has yet to respond to enquiries or issue a statement on the incident as of the time this report was filed.