The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday expressed fresh concern over the resurgence of insurgent attacks in Borno State following a deadly assault on a Nigerian Army formation in Kukawa Local Government Area that resulted in the death of a commanding officer and several soldiers.
The alarm was raised during plenary after the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, presented a motion drawing the attention of lawmakers to the coordinated attack carried out by suspected insurgents in the early hours of March 9, 2026.
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Moving the motion, Monguno informed the chamber that the attackers stormed the military base from multiple directions and engaged troops in a fierce gun battle that reportedly lasted several hours.
He disclosed that the attack led to the death of Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq, a senior officer who had played a key role in facilitating the return of residents to Kukawa town after the community had earlier been devastated by insurgents.
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The senator also revealed that the attackers set several military vehicles ablaze and looted weapons during the assault, describing the incident as part of a renewed wave of attacks targeting military formations in the North-East despite ongoing counter-insurgency operations under Operation Hadin Kai.
Security sources disclosed that Lt-Col Farouq, who commanded military operations in Kukawa, sustained serious injuries during the attack and later died while being transported to Maiduguri for medical treatment.
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Lawmakers were also informed that the attack forms part of a worrying pattern in which several commanding officers have recently lost their lives while defending their bases against insurgents.
Reports cited during the debate indicated that among the officers killed were Major U. I. Mairiga, who headed the Mayenti base; Lt-Col Umar Farouq, commander of the Kukawa base and the 101 Brigade; and Lt-Col S. I. Iliyasu, who served in Konduga.
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Further findings presented before the chamber showed that within the last three months, commanding officers stationed in Damasak, Kukawa and Bama have reportedly been killed during attacks on military formations or ambushes carried out by insurgents during clearance operations.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan warned that insurgency in Borno State was resurging at an alarming rate and called for extraordinary measures to contain the situation.
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He disclosed that several communities had come under simultaneous attacks, noting that Mairari community in Borno North was ransacked the same day Baga was attacked.
Lawan further revealed that Konduga Local Government Area in Borno Central also came under attack during which the Commanding Officer, Lt-Col Iliyasu, lost his life, while the Gajiganna community was similarly overrun by insurgents.
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He added that in Biu Junction, which borders the constituency of Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South, another commanding officer identified as Lt-Col Gidado was also killed.
According to him, the loss of several commanding officers within a short period underscores the seriousness of the renewed insurgent offensive in the state.
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While commending the Nigerian Armed Forces for their resilience in confronting insurgents, the lawmaker noted that the military’s commitment had continued to provide citizens with a measure of safety despite persistent threats.
Presiding over the session, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, acknowledged the gravity of the security challenges but expressed confidence in the efforts being made by the federal government to address the situation.
He stated that security challenges were not limited to one part of the country, adding that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to tackling insecurity across Nigeria.
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Following deliberations, the Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of the soldiers who died in the line of duty defending the nation.
Lawmakers also commended officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, particularly troops involved in Operation Hadin Kai, for their courage, resilience and dedication in confronting insurgents and protecting communities in the North-East.
The Senate further urged the military to intensify ongoing counter-insurgency operations by strengthening intelligence gathering, surveillance and operational capabilities to restore lasting peace to Borno State, the wider North-East region and Nigeria as a whole.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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