Nigeria’s military has been hit by another shocking security breach as nine soldiers escaped from a military detention facility at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, Borno State, in the early hours of Monday.
Maimalari Cantonment, the headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 7th Division, has long served as a central command post for counterterrorism operations in the North-East.
However, reports confirmed through top military sources that the escape occurred around 2:15 a.m., raising serious questions about internal security within one of the nation’s most heavily guarded facilities.
According to insiders, the soldiers were detained for alleged links to Boko Haram terrorists and arms trafficking to extremist groups operating across Borno and Yobe States.
“There was a jailbreak around 02: 15am hours at the Maimalari military base in Maiduguri.
Nine personnel detained for dealing in arms with terrorists escaped,” a senior military source said.
Another insider revealed that one of the escapees has been recaptured, while an intense manhunt is underway for the remaining eight. “It’s a very major security breach. Imagine this happening inside a military barracks—unbelievable and shameful,” the source said.
This incident adds to a worrying trend of insider compromise within Nigeria’s armed forces. SaharaReporters previously exposed similar cases where soldiers were accused of collaborating with insurgents.
A confidential memo from former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor (retd.), previously obtained by SaharaReporters, had warned commanders about increasing cases of personnel aiding terrorists. The letter, signed by CE Oji on behalf of the ex-CDS, directed all field officers to sensitize troops on the dangers of “collaborating with the enemy.”
The memo referenced past arrests, including a soldier detained for allegedly working with a notorious Boko Haram informant, Babagana Kura, in Bama Local Government Area. It read:
“Recent reports reveal an alarming increase in cases of aiding and abetting by personnel. These incidents demonstrate inside actions that continue to aid the adversary, with direct and damaging effects on operations.”
In a related 2022 case, Lance Corporal Abdullahi Jibrin, an instructor in the Nigerian Army’s Geidam battalion, committed suicide after his arrest for alleged collaboration with Boko Haram. Jibrin had disappeared from his duty post and was later seen among insurgents during attacks in Yobe communities before being tracked down by military intelligence in Gashua.
The latest jailbreak underscores persistent fears of infiltration and disloyalty within the ranks a challenge military authorities have struggled to contain despite repeated warnings and disciplinary measures.