Terrorists killed Colonel I.A. Muhammad and several soldiers in Monguno, Borno State.
The incident happened on Sunday night.
Colonel Muhammad led troops to reinforce a military base under attack.
His convoy drove into an ambush, and terrorists detonated a landmine remotely as his vehicle passed.
The blast killed the colonel at once. A soldier at the scene described the events.
He said the colonel received reports of the attack on the base and moved out to support his men.
Terrorists had planted the device along the route and set it off at the right moment.
This marks the latest in a string of attacks on senior officers in the northeast.
On 9 April, terrorists killed Brigadier General Oseni Braimah during an assault on a base in Benisheikh.
Earlier in March, they killed Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq in Kukawa on 9 March, Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu on 6 March, and Umar Ibrahim Mairiga on 1 March in Bama.
Monguno serves as a key hub for counter-terrorism operations in the region.
The latest ambush comes as troops continue to face pressure from Boko Haram fighters who operate in the area.
No official statement has come from the military yet on the number of soldiers killed or any further action taken.
Families of the dead await confirmation as details emerge.
