Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has revealed that credible intelligence about the attack on the 15 Task Force Brigade in Benisheikh was received three days before it occurred on Thursday, April 8, 2026. The assault resulted in the death of Brigade Commander Brigadier General Braimoh Oseni and several others. Zulum disclosed this during a visit to Benisheikh on Saturday, April 10, describing the incident as deeply shocking despite prior warnings. He confirmed that security agencies had actionable intelligence but failed to prevent the attack.
Zulum called for an urgent review of the military's operational framework and intelligence response systems. He cited a lapse in coordination after the Benisheikh local council chairman confirmed awareness of the intelligence reports. The governor pledged increased support for military personnel, vigilantes, and affected communities to prevent further insurgent gains. Separately, Zulum extended a N50 million donation to the family of Lt. Col. OC Okolo, killed in a Boko Haram attack at Mandaragirau in Biu Local Government Area on February 16, 2026. The donation was presented on April 10, 2026, in Obinofia Ndiuno, Enugu State, by his Special Adviser on Security, retired Brig. Gen. Abdullahi Sabi Ishaq. The governor's spokesman, Dauda Illiya, said the gesture reflects the state government's ongoing support for families of slain security operatives.
Babagana Zulum's revelation that intelligence about the Benisheikh attack was available days in advance but ignored exposes a dangerous disconnect within Nigeria's security architecture. The fact that Brigadier General Braimoh Oseni's death occurred despite a three-day warning period points not to a failure of intelligence gathering, but to systemic breakdowns in decision-making and inter-agency coordination.
This incident underscores a recurring flaw in Nigeria's counter-insurgency strategy: the ability to collect intelligence without translating it into preventive action. The confirmation by the Benisheikh council chairman that warnings were received but not acted upon reveals a fragmented chain of command, where local authorities are aware of threats but lack the capacity or authority to respond. Zulum's call for a review of military protocols is not new—similar demands followed past attacks—but the pattern persists, suggesting institutional inertia rather than isolated lapses.
For residents of Borno and other conflict-affected areas, this failure translates into continued vulnerability. Troops and civilians alike remain exposed to violence even when the state knows it is coming. The N50 million donation to Lt. Col. Okolo's family, while significant, cannot mask the cost of operational failures that keep claiming lives.
This is not an anomaly but part of a broader trend: Nigeria's security apparatus often performs better in reaction than in prevention. Despite years of war against insurgents, the cycle of warning, attack, condolence, and pledge continues unchecked.
