A serving Nigerian Army Colonel, I.A. Muhammad, has been killed in an ambush by Boko Haram insurgents in Monguno, Borno State.
Soldiers in the North-East theatre disclosed the incident on Monday, saying the senior officer died while leading a reinforcement mission to repel an ആക്രമment on a military base.
According to Sahara reporter,sources, the insurgents launched a coordinated overnight assault on Sunday, targeting a Forward Operating Base under the 242 Battalion in Monguno, a key military hub in the counter-insurgency campaign.
“One of our senior commanders, Colonel I.A. Muhammad, was killed last night when Boko Haram attacked Monguno. They also killed some soldiers during the attack,” a frontline soldier said.
The sources explained that the attackers focused on a smaller but critical position, prompting an urgent call for reinforcements.
“The Colonel got information that troops at the FOB were under heavy attack. As a committed commander, he mobilised to lead reinforcement to the location,” another source added.
However, the reinforcement team ran into trouble before reaching the embattled troops.
It was gathered that the Colonel’s convoy drove into an ambush laid by the insurgents, who had planted a remotely detonated improvised explosive device along the route.
“He did not die inside the camp. He was on his way to support his men when Boko Haram fighters ambushed them with a controlled landmine. It was detonated remotely at the exact moment his vehicle approached,” the source said.
The explosion reportedly killed the Colonel instantly, alongside an unspecified number of soldiers.
Monguno hosts a large military formation with multiple units under the supervision of a sector commander, making it a strategic location in the ongoing operations against insurgents.
The incident underscores the growing use of sophisticated explosives by Boko Haram, raising fresh concerns over the safety of troops in the region.
The attack comes amid a series of recent assaults on military formations in Borno State.
On April 9, terrorists attacked a base in Benisheikh, killing several soldiers, including Brigadier General Oseni Braimah.
Earlier, on March 9, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq and other soldiers were killed after insurgents overran a base in Kukawa Local Government Area.
Similarly, on March 6, terrorists killed Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, Commanding Officer of the 222 Battalion, during coordinated attacks.
On March 1, an attack on a military formation in Mayenti, Bama LGA, claimed the life of commanding officer Umar Ibrahim Mairiga and several troops.
Military authorities have yet to officially comment on the latest incident.
