UPDATED: Nigerian Army says two officers, two soldiers killed in Benisheikh attack

The Nigerian Army says four of its personnel were killed during a foiled attack by terrorists in Benisheikh, Borno State. The four included two officers and two soldiers, the army said, refuting reports that 17 soldiers were killed.

The headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), a joint military task force in the North-east, disclosed this via the army’s official X handle on Friday.

“OPHK categorically refutes the claim that 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, lost their lives during the incident,” it said. “The official and verified report, as earlier released through Defence Headquarters, clearly stated that 2 officers and 2 soldiers paid the supreme price in the course of the engagement. Any contrary figure being circulated is entirely false, misleading, and devoid of credibility.”

The army did not disclose the names or ranks of the officers and soldiers killed.

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PREMIUM TIMES reported that the fighters of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked three military bases in Borno including the one in Benisheikh where the brigade commander, Oseni Braimah, a brigadier general, and other soldiers were killed.

Many media outlets reported that 17 soldiers including Mr Braimah were killed in the Benisheikh attack.

In his Friday statement, the spokesperson for OPHK, Sani Uba, claimed that the widely circulated figures were part of a deliberate attempt to distort facts and undermine ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North-east.

Brigade Commander’s Situation

The army spokesperson also said that claims that the brigade commander was killed because his escape vehicle failed to start or was unserviceable are false.

He explained that the commander was actively leading troops from a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, which was only “temporarily immobilised” during the intense exchange of fire.

ALSO READ: ISWAP terrorists raid military bases in Borno

“The insinuation that the Brigade Commander’s vehicle was unserviceable is equally incorrect. The Commander was mounted on a high-grade Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, which was temporarily immobilised in the heat of combat while he was actively coordinating the counter-assault,” Mr Uba, a lieutenant colonel, wrote.

According to him, this reflected the severity of the battle and the commander’s presence at the frontline, rather than any equipment failure.

Mr Uba also said that many of the images and videos circulating about the attack were inaccurate, urging the public to disregard such content.

“The pictures and videos being circulated in connection with the incident are unrelated to the Benisheikh attack and are being deliberately misrepresented to reinforce false narratives,” he wrote. “The public is urged to disregard such content, which is clearly intended to misinform and create unnecessary panic.”

He stressed that troops successfully repelled the attack, retained control of their position, and forced the attackers into a “disorganised retreat.”

He warned against the spread of unverified information, describing it as harmful to national security and detrimental to the morale of troops engaged in ongoing operations.

The Benisheikh attack and its casualties add to a growing list of recent daring attacks by terrorists that have led to the killing of many soldiers.

On Friday, President Bola Tinubu praised the gallantry of the soldiers who repelled the Benisheikh attack but also mourned the slain soldiers.

“The government will never forget their sacrifices. Their sacrifices will not be in vain. Because of the courage and dedication of our troops on the frontline, our resolve to defeat terrorism and all forms of violence across Nigeria is stronger than ever,” the Nigerian leader wrote in a statement shared by his office.