Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd), narrowly escaped death last Friday after his convoy came under attack by suspected Boko Haram fighters in Borno State.
This was disclosed by Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Senate, during an interview on Politics Today aired by Channels Television on Sunday.
“Just two days ago, Buratai was attacked at the front operations base in Borno,” Ndume said. “His team responded gallantly, but the insurgents managed to destroy several military assets.”
According to Ndume, the ambush occurred near a frontline base, and although the military convoy managed to repel the attackers, the insurgents succeeded in inflicting significant damage.
“They destroyed some Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPVs), tanks, and heavy weapons, and even carted away some equipment,” he revealed.
Ndume warned that the security situation in Borno—and across the country—was deteriorating rapidly.
“Insurgents now move freely, torching and stealing military equipment. It is becoming a full-blown crisis,” he said.
He added that Nigeria’s security challenges are now nationwide. “All six geopolitical zones are experiencing security challenges to varying degrees. Even in the South-South, we are grappling with economic sabotage like oil theft. At this point, the South-West appears to be the only relatively safe region.”
Buratai served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021, playing a key role in Nigeria’s anti-insurgency efforts during the Buhari administration.
