By Benjamin Audu
Not too long ago, Borno State Governor, Prof Zulum Babagana, raised the alarm, warning the nation about the looming resurgence of Boko Haram in the Northeast. He said that the insurgents had started to regroup to prepare for imminent attacks.
True to the concerns expressed by Governor Zulum, Boko Haram attacked a number of military bases in Borno State, Nigeria. The bases include 153 Task Force Battalion base in Marte, in Marte Local Government Area, which was attacked on May 12, 2025, resulting in the death of soldiers and injuries. The insurgents also burned down armoured tanks and carted away arms and ammunition; 3 Battalion base in Rann in Kala Balge Local Government Area, attacked on May 14, 2025, killing five soldiers and injuring six others. The insurgents also snatched three gun trucks, and the military base in Gajiram, located in Nganzai Local Government Area, which was attacked around the same time as Rann. Although the insurgents were repelled, they managed to burn some military assets. Again, insurgents attacked the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa, but soldiers were said to have effectively repelled the assault, inflicting casualties on the insurgents.
These attacks are part of a larger surge in Boko Haram activity in the region, prompting concerns about security and stability. It is noteworthy that the administration of Governor Zulum has never flinched in giving strong support to the military in their efforts to combat terrorism in the region.
Then again, through a suicide bomber, Boko Haram struck in Konduga, a town that had been under their thumb before the Nigerian Army, under the leadership of Lt. General Tukur Yusufu Buratai as Chief of Army Staff, between 2015 and 2021, drove them out, forcing the Boko Haram fighters into the Sambisa Forest. The gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Army sustained the onslaught until the dreaded insurgents were degraded. The remnants of the disorganized Boko Haram fighters fled from Sambisa Forest, resulting in the capture of the headquarters of their leader, Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram flag and their leader’s copy of the Qu’ran.
Both of these items were presented to then President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 at a military banquet held in Abuja. The victories recorded by the Army happened at a time when true leadership made morale among the troops to be high, and they were driven by patriotic fervour to give the utmost in the service of the nation. People are beginning to worry and wonder about what happened to the Nigerian Army that once degraded Boko Haram. What happened to the template deployed by Buratai and which enabled the army to achieve the victories against Boko Haram in the past? Why is it seemingly easy for bandit leaders like Bello Turji to ambush and kill soldiers?
After retiring from the Army, General Buratai was rewarded with a diplomatic appointment in 2021 as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, a position he held until 2022. His tenure as COAS was marked by a series of remarkable achievements that not only transformed the Nigerian Army but also significantly contributed to national security and stability that are worthy of emulation.