Senate Honours Fallen Soldiers in Borno Attack, Demands Tougher Response to Insurgency
By Momodu Favour
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday paid tribute to soldiers killed during a recent insurgent attack in Borno State, while calling for stronger military action to curb the renewed wave of terrorism in the North-East.
The lawmakers commended troops of Operation Hadin Kai for their courage in confronting insurgents and urged the armed forces to intensify operations following the deadly assault on a military formation in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
During plenary, the Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of the soldiers who lost their lives in the attack allegedly carried out by suspected Boko Haram fighters.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the senator representing Borno North Senatorial District, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, who drew the attention of the chamber to the incident which occurred in the early hours of March 9, 2026.
Presenting the motion, Monguno said the insurgents launched a coordinated assault on a Nigerian Army base in Kukawa, engaging troops in a fierce gun battle that reportedly lasted nearly 24 hours.
“The Senate notes with deep concern that in the early hours of March 9, suspected insurgents launched a coordinated attack on a military formation of the Nigerian Army in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, engaging troops in a fierce gun battle,” he said.
According to the lawmaker, the attackers approached the military formation from several directions, resulting in intense fighting and casualties on both sides.
Monguno disclosed that a senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Faru, alongside several soldiers, was killed while defending the base against the insurgents.
He noted that the late officer played a key role in facilitating the return of displaced residents to Kukawa town after the community had previously been devastated by insurgent activities.
“The attack resulted in the death of Lieutenant Colonel Umar Faru, who was instrumental in the return of the people of Kukawa town after it was ransacked by insurgents, alongside other gallant soldiers,” Monguno added.
The senator further lamented that some military vehicles were set ablaze and weapons looted during the assault, describing the incident as part of a renewed wave of attacks on military formations in the North-East despite ongoing counter-insurgency efforts.
He also revealed that another community in Kukawa Local Government Area, identified as Doro, came under attack earlier on Tuesday, leading to the death of another soldier.
“In fact, even this morning as I was coming here to move this motion, I received a report that another community in Kukawa Local Government Area, named Doro, was attacked by insurgents and one soldier lost his life in the course of the fight,” he said.
While commending the courage and sacrifice of the troops, Monguno urged the military to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance operations and logistics in order to effectively eliminate insurgent groups operating in the region.
The motion was seconded by Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, who expressed concern over what he described as a renewed resurgence of insurgent attacks across several communities in Borno State.
“Mr President, the renewed resurgence of insurgency in Borno State is at an alarming rate, and something extraordinary needs to be done,” Lawan said.
He disclosed that communities such as Mafa, Baga and Konduga had recently been attacked, resulting in the deaths of civilians and military personnel, including commanding officers.
“In a couple of days, we lost about three commanding officers as a result of this renewed resurgence,” he added.
Following deliberations, the Senate commended officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, particularly those serving under Operation Hadin Kai, for their resilience and commitment to safeguarding communities in the North-East.
The lawmakers also urged the military high command to intensify counter-insurgency operations through improved intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance and strengthened logistics support with a view to ending insecurity in the region.
In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, commended Monguno for bringing the motion before the chamber and acknowledged his efforts in supporting military operations in his constituency.
“You’ve done very well by bringing forward this motion. You have lived up to your responsibility as a senator representing that area, and we know how much you have been doing to help the military,” Jibrin said.
He added that the Federal Government under Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to addressing security challenges across the country.
