By Obinna Uballa
A video showing the late Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouk being celebrated by residents of Kukawa in Borno State after successfully repelling a Boko Haram attack has resurfaced online, drawing emotional reactions and tributes following news of his death.
Lt-Col Farouk, a Nigerian Army commander who headed the military base in Kukawa Local Government Area and oversaw operations under the 101 Brigade, was among three commanding officers reportedly killed by insurgents in Borno within a week.
The resurfaced clip, first shared on February 27 by an X user, Hon. Nuhu Sada (@NuhuSada0), captures jubilant scenes in Kukawa as residents and local leaders gathered to commend the officer and his troops for restoring calm after an earlier insurgent assault on the community.
In the video, the lawmaker representing Kukawa in the Borno State House of Assembly is seen celebrating the soldiers, praising their courage and thanking them for defending the town against Boko Haram fighters.
However, the same officer later lost his life during a renewed insurgent attack on the military formation in the area.
The video was reposted on Monday by Farouk’s sister, Ammuna A (@ammunaa__), who used the clip to announce the tragic news of his death.
“We’ve lost him, my brother has been killed. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihir rajiun,” she wrote.
Her post triggered an outpouring of grief and tributes on social media, with many Nigerians praising the officer’s bravery and sacrifice.
Another user on X, identified as zlannnn (@Shaibu_AO) and believed to be a relative of the late officer, also expressed grief while raising concerns about the government’s policy of rehabilitating former insurgents.
In a post that attracted widespread attention online, she questioned the rationale behind releasing and rehabilitating captured fighters.
“You killed my brother. I risked my life, fought back, killed some and arrested others, handing them to the authorities so more terrorists could be caught,” she wrote.
“Yet they were released by government and called ‘repentant bandits’. The government even went ahead to rehabilitate the same terrorists, feeding and clothing them, while our military is left unsupported.”
She further criticised what she described as the silence of some political leaders in the region amid the continued killing of soldiers by insurgents.
“From this, it’s clear that some northern governors are happy watching our brave, gallant men being slaughtered,” she wrote, before praying for the repose of the souls of fallen soldiers.
In another emotional message, she described Lt-Col Farouk as a hero who dedicated his life to restoring peace in communities threatened by terrorism.
“Lt-Col Umar Farouk was more than a soldier; he was a true hero. He didn’t just fight Boko Haram, he reclaimed villages and restored peace for our people,” she wrote.
“Yet he and some brave soldiers were killed. Many warned this could happen when you restore peace – some celebrate quietly while others plot.”
She also suggested that betrayal and intelligence leaks may have contributed to the deadly attack on the base.
“If our military wasn’t widely compromised, these men wouldn’t have been brought down by people untrained in handling guns. It was betrayal and intelligence that got him,” she wrote.
The death of Farouk has further highlighted growing concerns over the renewed intensity of insurgent attacks in Nigeria’s North-East.
Reports indicate that he was one of three army commanders killed within a seven-day period in separate attacks across Borno State.
The other officers were Major Umar Ibrahim Mairiga, who commanded the Mayenti Forward Operations Base in Bama Local Government Area, and Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, the commanding officer of the 222 Battalion stationed in Konduga.
Security analysts say the deaths underscore the risks faced by frontline commanders who lead troops in some of the most volatile parts of the insurgency theatre.
The attacks have also fuelled fears within and outside the armed forces as insurgents intensify assaults on military formations across the region.
Some reports suggest that as many as 100 soldiers may have been killed in recent days as terrorist groups continue to launch coordinated attacks and attempt to overrun military bases in parts of Borno State.
