A senior officer of the Joint Task Force stationed in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area, O. O. Braimah, has reportedly been killed following a late-night attack by suspected insurgents linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.
Local accounts indicated that the attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday when armed fighters stormed Benisheikh at about 1:00 a.m., targeting military positions and civilian areas.
Residents said the assault resulted in casualties among civilians, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and other security personnel, while several insurgents were also reportedly killed during the confrontation.
The attackers were said to have set trucks and commercial vehicles ablaze, forcing stranded motorists and passengers who had remained in town after the routine evening closure of the Maiduguri–Damaturu highway to seek safety.
Sources in the community stated that Brigadier General Braimah died during the exchange of fire as troops responded to the assault.
They added that several military vehicles were destroyed or taken away during the attack, although troops reportedly inflicted heavy losses on the attackers.
A resident identified as Malam Lawal Benisheikh, in a social media post, lamented the incident and said the military formation was attacked by a large number of insurgents.
Other local reports indicated that the coordinated offensive began earlier on Wednesday night in Pulka and Bakin Ruwa, both located in Gwoza Local Government Area, where insurgents allegedly overran a military base and damaged equipment.
The same sources said another wave of attacks later extended to Benisheikh and Ngamdu, where military assets were again targeted.
In Pulka, shops were reportedly looted and facilities belonging to a road construction company vandalised.
The town currently shelters thousands of displaced persons who fled nearby communities after earlier insurgent attacks.
As of the time of reporting, Operation Hadin Kai had not issued an official statement on the incident
