Retired Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, narrowly escaped an ambush on Friday in Borno State when suspected Boko Haram insurgents opened fire on his convoy near a military base.
The incident, which occurred in one of the most volatile areas of Nigeria’s northeast, was confirmed by Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly.
Ndume shared the development during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Sunday.
“Just two days ago, General Buratai was attacked at the front operations base in Borno. His team responded gallantly, but the insurgents destroyed several military assets,” Senator Ndume revealed.
According to the lawmaker, the ambush happened close to a frontline operations base that Buratai and his entourage were visiting. The attackers, believed to be Boko Haram fighters, reportedly engaged the security convoy in a fierce gun battle, targeting vital military equipment in the process.
Ndume stated that several high-grade military assets, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), tanks, and heavy-duty machine guns, were either destroyed or seized during the assault. “The insurgents carted away weapons and other military hardware in some cases,” he added.
Providing further insight into the deteriorating security situation in Borno, the senator lamented that the insurgents are becoming more daring by the day. He noted that the militants are now burning down and plundering military facilities with renewed confidence.
“The situation is deteriorating. This is no longer just an insurgency, it is fast becoming a full-blown crisis,” Ndume said.
Beyond the northeast, the senator also voiced concerns about growing insecurity across Nigeria. He highlighted the widespread nature of violent activities, pointing out that no region is entirely immune from the threats.
“From banditry in the North-West to oil theft in the South-South, only the South-West seems relatively calm at the moment,” Ndume observed.
The attack on General Buratai, who served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021 and was instrumental in leading counterinsurgency operations against Boko Haram during his tenure, has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Although officially retired from active military service, Buratai continues to wield significant influence within Nigeria’s defense and strategic circles.
