Fresh details have emerged on the circumstances surrounding the death of Brigadier-General O.O. Braimoh, who was killed during a deadly attack by terrorists on a military base in Borno State.
Military sources who spoke on Thursday alleged that the late commander attempted to escape the attack scene but was unable to do so due to a faulty armoured vehicle.
According to one of the sources, Braimoh tried to manoeuvre his way out of the base as the insurgents advanced.
“When the attack was ongoing, the Brigade Commander, O.O. Braimoh, was trying to manoeuvre his way out. He attempted to leave in a bulletproof vehicle,” the source said.
“However, the vehicle failed to start. That was how he was captured and eventually killed by the insurgents.”
The source alleged widespread negligence and corruption among senior military officers, claiming that funds meant for vehicle maintenance and fuel are often diverted.
“The Federal Government has released funds for vehicle maintenance and fuel, but some commanders fail to utilise them properly,” the source said.
“If a vehicle develops a fault and junior officers report it, they are told to ‘manage it’. Even requests for fuel are often ignored.”
The source added that the armoured vehicle Braimoh tried to use during the attack had mechanical issues.
“They do not maintain the vehicles, and they also have a habit of not making fuel readily available for emergencies like this,” the source alleged.
The media had earlier reported that fighters from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram attacked a military formation in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State on Wednesday night.
The insurgents reportedly stormed the base with heavy gunfire and explosives, killing an unspecified number of soldiers, including Braimoh, and leaving several others injured or missing.
A military source had said, “He was killed alongside the Brigade Imam and several officers. The attack lasted for hours. It is very unfortunate.”
ISWAP, a faction of Boko Haram, has intensified attacks in Nigeria’s North-East region in recent years, particularly around the Lake Chad axis, despite repeated claims by the Nigerian military that the insurgency has been largely contained.
The conflict, which has persisted for over a decade, has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
