Former Army Chief Buratai Escapes Death as Boko Haram Ambushes Convoy in Borno

Retired Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, narrowly escaped death on Friday after his convoy was ambushed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

The incident was revealed by Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday night.

According to Ndume, the attack occurred near a frontline military base, where Buratai and his escort team came under heavy gunfire. A fierce exchange reportedly followed, with troops responding swiftly to repel the insurgents.

“We are in a dire security situation. 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,” Ndume said.

The attackers are said to have targeted Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPVs), tanks, and machine guns—destroying or seizing some in the process.

Ndume painted a grim picture of the worsening security situation, warning that insurgents now roam freely in parts of the state, looting and torching military equipment. “The situation in Borno is deteriorating rapidly. It is becoming a full-blown crisis,” he warned.

He also expressed concern about the broader national security outlook, noting that all six geopolitical zones are grappling with one form of violence or another—from terrorism in the North to oil theft in the South.

“The only relatively safe region right now is the South-West,” Ndume stated.

The attack on Buratai comes amid renewed calls for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly in the insurgency-plagued North-East. Buratai, who served as Army Chief from 2015 to 2021, has remained a prominent voice in national security matters since his retirement.