Fatimah Otunsanya
The Nigerian Army has denied claims that Brigadier General Oseni Braimah died as a result of an unserviceable vehicle during the attack on a military base in Benisheikh, Borno State.
It also dismissed reports that 17 soldiers were killed, stating that four personnel died in the attack.
In a statement on Friday, the Media Information Officer, North-East Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, described the viral reports as false, misleading and exaggerated.
“These narratives, often amplified with unrelated pictures and videos, are not only inaccurate but constitute a deliberate attempt to distort facts, undermine ongoing military operations and erode public confidence,” he said.
He said the verified casualty figure showed that two officers and two soldiers were killed during the attack.
Uba added that any report suggesting higher casualties lacked credibility.
“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,” he stated.
He also refuted claims that the Brigade Commander’s vehicle was faulty.
“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,” he stated.
He said the situation reflected the intensity of the battle and not equipment failure.
The spokesman further alleged that pictures and videos being circulated in connection with the attack were unrelated and deliberately misrepresented.
He urged the public to disregard such content, warning that it was intended to misinform and cause panic.
Uba added that troops of Operation Hadin Kai repelled the attack, maintained control of their location and forced the insurgents to retreat.
NigeriaTodayTimes had earlier reported that terrorists attacked a military base in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State, with local sources saying the insurgents operated for hours and set military equipment ablaze.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu had expressed condolences to the families of soldiers killed in the attack, including Braimah, confirming that the brigade commander died during the incident.
