Chief of Army staff, Lt. General Tukur
Buratai has waved aside reports that about 105 soldiers prosecuting the war
against Boko Haram terrorists met their untimely death when they failed to
return in a bid to annihilate the terrorists in the North East.
The media had
been awashed with news that about 100 Nigerian soldiers were missing after Boko
Haram attacks in the epicenter of the battle.
But General Buratai in a telephone conversation with Vanguard said, “It is not
true that our soldiers are missing. The soldiers went on a mission for the
Nigerian nation and they have since returned and joined their Battalions”.
The confident
Chief of Army Staff said that insinuation is a figment of imagination of the
authors of the story.
Media reports
had indicated that the Army may have lost about 150 of its men to an attack by
Boko Haram insurgents in Gudunbali, Borno State.
It was claimed that the terrorists attacked at Gudunbali in Borno State, on
Wednesday and as a result the 157 Battalion of the Nigerian Army could not
account for at least, 105 soldiers including their commanding officer.
According an
online media, the terrorists also captured a T-72 tank as well as several
artillery weapons from the unit.
“Gudunbali was attacked this morning and some weapons were captured from the
battalion. Two officers and 105 soldiers are still missing”.
The
terrorists captured a T-72 tank from the unit and some artillery weapons were
also captured. The commanding Officer (CO) of the battalion is yet to be seen
but no one has been confirmed dead yet,” the source added.
Another
source however said the T-72 tank was recovered after a prolonged fight with
Boko Haram insurgents. The gunner and tank commander were injured in the
process, he said.
Also
reportedly captured by the insurgents were eight vehicles, a truck loaded with
60,000 rounds of AA ammunition and three artillery pieces.
Similarly, soldiers of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) stationed at
Baga, Borno State also recently came under attack. The attack occurred in
Geringiwa at about four kilometers to the headquarters of MNJTF, PREMIUM TIMES
has also been told.
According to
a source, the military has been unable to completely clear the insurgents from
Baga and nearby towns due to inadequate equipment.
Boko Haram
carried out a series of mass killings in Baga between January 3 and January 7,
2015, after the army headquarters there was sacked by the insurgents.
Although the
military later liberated the town, soldiers stationed in the area have come
under constant attacks from the insurgents.
.
The attacks on the military came on the heels of the suicide attacks on Yola
and Kano respectively.