A former battalion commander who led the fight against Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria, Major UJ Undianyede, is believed to have committed suicide.

According to Daily Trust, the senior officer took his own life less than 72 hours before the verdict of a court martial trying him for alleged military offenses during the war on terror.

He allegedly committed suicide on Monday, at the premises of the Nigeria Defense Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, with his service pistol.

“I believe he committed suicide because of the court martial judgment which has been set for tomorrow (today May 19),” the source said.

“In continuing the war, the Major and some of his colleagues allegedly committed offenses for which he was on trial at the 1 Division in Kaduna.”

The offenses found against the deceased officer by the 1 Division court-martial were embezzlement, abandonment of military post, insubordination and desertion, among others.

Another source attributed his death to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), noting that he had been in the North East for some time fighting Boko Haram terrorists.

The major, a regular officer in Course 55, and others of his class, were due to be promoted to lieutenant colonel in September.

Contacted, the Nigerian Army Spokesman, Brigadier General. Onyema Nwachukwu, said he was not informed.

However, the NDA’s public relations officer, Major Bashir Jajira, dismissed the report, saying no academy officers were involved in a suicide.

“No academy staff were involved in the suicide as reported and in fact our cadets are currently in Kachia for combat marksmanship training, they are not at the academy. So no such training took place,” he said.