The Nigerian Army on Friday, confirmed the killing of five of its personnel by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Col. Isa Ado, who confirmed this in a statement in Abuja said those killed included a Colonel, a Captain and three soldiers.
The officers and soldiers were on transit from Maiduguri to Damaturu when they were ambushed by the terrorists in Jakana area of Borno.
The incident occurred on Wednesday.
The army spokesman, however, said that troops of 212 Battalion deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB), Jakana, dealt with the insurgents, neutralising many of them.
“The terrorists could not withstand the fire power of the troops after losing significant number of equipment and personnel in an exchange of fire.
“They lost initiative and withdrew in disarray along Benisheikh-Damaturu axis and abandoned a damaged utility gun truck which was earmarked to convey looted items.
“Troops immediately followed in hot pursuit and captured one anti-aircraft gun, two Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) Tubes, two AK 47 Rifles, 15 machine gun rounds and 12 AK47 NATO rounds.
“Sadly, a Colonel and a Captain as well as three soldiers on transit from Maiduguri to Damaturu ran into an ambush staged by the fleeing terrorists from the Jakana axis, which led to their unfortunate death,” he said.
According to him, the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists had tried to infiltrate the military base to gather logistics before they were repelled by the troops.
He said the terrorists came at about 1845 hours in seven Gun Trucks and fought fiercely to infiltrate the camp, but “the attack was thwarted with heavy fire and bombardment by the gallant troops.”
Meanwhile, Ado said that the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, had commiserated with the families of the fallen soldiers while reiterating that the army would not be deterred in the ongoing “noble and patriotic fight against terrorism and insurgency in the North-East.’’
The statement further quoted Buratai as: “The sacrifices of the fallen heroes in the ongoing fight against terrorism and insurgency is no doubt painful to all.
“But, that will further spur us to do more to ensure that our country remain secure, peaceful and free from terrorist activities for the overall interest of the nation.”
