Army weapons instructor commits suicide after collaborating with Boko Haram
GABRIEL UDEH, KADUNA
A Lance Corporal serving as a weapons instructor with the Nigerian Army Battalion in Geidam, in Damaturu, Yobe State, has allegedly shot himself to dead after he turned against the military and joined Boko Haram terrorists in an attack on Geidam.
The soldier, identified as L/Cpl Jibrin, was described by colleagues as popular and highly skilled in handling arms.
Officer Jibrin reportedly served previously in the Intelligence Corps before his deployment as a weapons instructor.
According to military sources, Jibrin abandoned his duty post for two days and was later identified among the insurgents who attacked Geidam on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
The Battalion Commanding Officer reportedly tracked his phone, which was pinpointed to a location in Gashua, hundreds of kilometers from his duty post.
“Army authorities in Gashua were alerted and a search was launched.
On Tuesday, Jibrin boarded a bus to Gombe State and attempted to disguise himself. However, he was identified and arrested by fellow soldiers at a checkpoint in Gashua, where he was handcuffed and interrogated”, it stated.
During questioning, he allegedly disclosed the involvement of several soldiers in previous attacks”, according to the military sources.
While being transported back to Geidam, Jibrin reportedly used his training as a weapons instructor to snatch a gun from one of his escorts, overpowered the others and shot himself on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
Military sources said his revelations before his death led to the arrest of several suspected collaborators, many of whom are believed to be troops serving in both Gombe and Geidam battalions.
The development sparked outrage in social media which generated reactions adding “The insecurity problems is within us and our leaders. And our military faces a lot of internal threats,” a source familiar with the incident said.
L/Cpl Jibrin was a Babur by tribe from Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, the reports stated
He was until his death considered “a brilliant soldier who was an asset to the Nigerian Army,” colleagues said.
As at press time, the Nigerian Army had not issued an official statement on the incident, however, investigations into the network of compromised personnel allegedly mentioned by Jibrin are still ongoing.
