Fallen senior military officer, Brig.-Gen. Oseni Braimah, and seven other personnel of Operation Hadin Kai were on Wednesday laid to rest with full military honours at the Maimalari Cantonment Military Cemetery in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The solemn burial ceremony was attended by top government and military officials, including Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, senior defence chiefs, and grieving families of the deceased personnel.
Governor Zulum, who expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, described the fallen soldiers as heroes who paid the ultimate price while defending the nation.
“Today, we are gathered here in solemn memory to witness yet another sad event, the burial of Brigadier General Oseni Braimah and seven other troops of Operation Hadin Kai, who paid the supreme price in the discharge of their duties while protecting the lives and property of our people,” he said.
The governor extended condolences on behalf of the government and people of Borno State to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces and the bereaved families.
Zulum described the recent targeted attacks on military commanders as a deliberate attempt by insurgents to weaken troop morale but assured that efforts were underway to reverse the trend.
“The resurgence in the killing of combatant officers and men is a deliberate attempt to demoralise our armed forces, but we shall do everything possible to reverse this trend, Insha Allah,” he said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of both the Federal Government and state governments to strengthening the military’s operational capacity in the fight against insurgency.
As part of immediate support, Zulum announced a donation of N50 million to the families of the deceased personnel.
“As immediate support to cushion the effect of this tragic loss, the Borno State Government will release N50 million to the family of Brigadier General Oseni Braimah and other deceased personnel,” he said.
The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, describing their deaths as the ultimate sacrifice for national peace and security.
He also commended Zulum for his consistent support toward counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, also mourned the deceased personnel and reaffirmed the military’s resolve to end insurgency and other forms of criminality in the region.
Earlier, the fallen heroes were accorded full military honours, including the reading of citations detailing their service records, as prayers were offered for the repose of their souls.
Families, fellow soldiers and dignitaries watched in grief as the remains were committed to earth, marking a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces in safeguarding the nation’s peace and security.
The event was attended by Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Southern Borno Senatorial District; Hon. Bukar Talba, representing Marte, Monguno and Nganzai Federal Constituency; the Secretary to the Borno State Government, Acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, and other senior military and government officials.
