FORMER Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retd), narrowly escaped death on Friday after his convoy was attacked by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
The incident, which occurred near a military forward operations base, was confirmed by Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District.
Ndume revealed this during an interview yesterday.
According to the senator, the convoy of the retired military chief came under heavy gunfire, resulting in a fierce exchange between the attackers and the soldiers escorting Buratai.
Although the number of casualties has yet to be confirmed, several military assets were reportedly destroyed in the ambush.
“We are in a dire security situation,” Ndume said. “Just two days ago, Buratai was attacked at the front operations base in Borno. His team responded gallantly, but the insurgents still managed to destroy several military assets.”
The insurgents were said to have targeted and damaged high-grade equipment, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), tanks, and mounted machine guns. The attackers allegedly made away with weapons and other military supplies.
Ndume expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security in Borno and the North-East, warning that the situation is nearing a crisis point.
“Insurgents now operate freely, destroying and looting military infrastructure. The threat is escalating,” he said.
He also pointed out that insecurity is no longer confined to the North, stressing that all six geopolitical zones in Nigeria are experiencing different forms of violence, including banditry and economic sabotage.
“Even in the South-South, oil theft is crippling our economy. Right now, the South-West appears to be the only relatively safe region,” Ndume added.
The attack on Buratai comes amid growing calls for the Nigerian government to restructure its security architecture, especially in the insurgency-plagued North-East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP factions continue to wreak havoc.
Lt. Gen. Buratai, who served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, was a key figure in the country’s fight against insurgency and remains an influential voice in security and defense circles.