Nigeria’s deepening security crisis has taken a disturbing turn after a suspected soldier in Maiduguri, Borno State, appeared in a viral video begging Nigerians for prayers as relentless terrorist attacks continue to batter military formations in the region.
In the emotional footage obtained on Tuesday, the soldier—who identified himself as a member of the Nigerian Army stationed in Maiduguri—painted a grim picture of the realities faced by troops on the frontlines of the country’s war against insurgency. Speaking in Hausa, the visibly distressed serviceman claimed that soldiers are under constant assault from armed militants who frequently storm their base, killing troops and destroying military vehicles.
“Nigerians, both Muslims and Christians, please and please, we the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Borno State, are in trouble,” the soldier said in the video. “Every day, bandits will attack our base, kill our troops and burn our vehicles.”
His plea has sparked widespread concern across the country, raising fresh questions about the capacity of Nigerian security forces to withstand the growing strength and audacity of insurgent groups operating in the North-East.
According to the soldier, the attacks have become so frequent and devastating that many troops are now overwhelmed and uncertain about how to respond. He said soldiers deployed to defend the nation are now forced to take refuge in the bush as they struggle to survive repeated assaults.
“This is now beyond our power,” he said. “Please Nigerians, we need your prayers. We left our families, loved ones and parents and we are taking shelter inside the bush, not because we don’t love our people but to defend Nigeria and Nigerians.”
The soldier added that the deteriorating situation has left many troops psychologically drained and struggling to maintain focus amid the chaos of continuous attacks.
“This is now beyond our power and we have lost focus on what to do,” he said again, reinforcing the sense of desperation captured in the video.
He concluded his appeal with a brief prayer, asking for divine protection against the insurgents.
“God please protect and save us from these evil people,” he said.
The viral video surfaced at a time when the Nigerian military is grappling with significant losses in Borno State, widely regarded as the epicenter of the long-running insurgency led by Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Security sources and local reports indicate that within the past week alone, the military lost three commanding officers during separate attacks on forward operating bases and combat engagements with insurgents.
Among the fallen officers was Major U.I. Mairiga, who commanded the Mayenti base in Bama Local Government Area. Also killed was Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, the Commanding Officer of the 222 Battalion in Konduga.
The most recent casualty was Lieutenant Colonel Umar Faruq, the commander of the Kukawa base and the 101 Brigade, who was reportedly killed alongside several soldiers when insurgents launched a midnight assault on a military camp in Kukawa Local Government Area on March 9.
The back-to-back attacks have intensified fears about the operational strength of terrorist groups in the region and the vulnerability of military positions meant to secure communities already traumatized by years of insurgency.
For many Nigerians, the viral plea from the suspected soldier has become a painful symbol of a war that appears far from over—one in which even those tasked with defending the nation are now publicly admitting they are overwhelmed.
As the conflict drags on, questions continue to mount over whether Nigeria’s military strategy, funding, intelligence coordination and political leadership are truly aligned to confront an enemy that has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to regroup, strike and inflict devastating losses on the country’s armed forces.
The soldier’s cry from the battlefield now echoes across the nation, leaving millions of Nigerians to wonder: if the men with guns are begging for prayers, who exactly is winning the war?