MAIDUGURI — A strategic shift in insurgent tactics has left the Nigerian military reeling after a series of coordinated nighttime raids in Borno State claimed the lives of three high-ranking commanding officers.
Security experts and counter-insurgency researchers, including Nemanda Salihu, warn that Boko Haram has evolved a “darkness-first” doctrine. This strategy specifically targets military formations between midnight and the early hours of the morning to exploit the Nigerian Air Force’s limited nighttime close-air support capabilities.
The fallen officers—identified as Lt. Col. Umar Farouq of Kukawa, Lt. Col. S.I. Iliyasu of Konduga, and Major Umar Ibrahim Mairiga of Bama—were reportedly killed during intense battles where ground troops were forced to hold their positions without the usual overhead cover that defines daytime operations. Salihu noted in a recent assessment that the terrorists are well aware that forces rely heavily on aerial support that is often unavailable or severely restricted after dark. By striking at night, the insurgents effectively neutralise the military’s greatest tactical advantage, turning Forward Operation Bases into vulnerable targets.
In response to the surge in casualties, security analysts are calling for an immediate overhaul of the counter-insurgency strategy. This includes fast-tracking the deployment of all-weather, night-capable attack helicopters and equipping frontline bases with long-range thermal sensors and radar capable of spotting threats from ten kilometres away. Furthermore, experts are pushing for a move away from a “wait-and-defend” posture toward constant, high-intensity offensive sweeps against known insurgent hideouts to ensure a “must-finish” fight.
While the military high command has not released a formal statement on the specific “night-gap” allegation, there are indications that the recent induction of new hardware is aimed at closing this window of vulnerability.
