Malik Yahya/
The Nigerian Army has confirmed that a commanding officer and several soldiers were killed during fierce battles with Boko Haram fighters who launched coordinated attacks on communities and military positions in Borno State.
The confirmation follows media reports which claimed that as many as 40 soldiers were killed during the assaults in parts of the insurgency-ravaged state.
However, in a statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, the army said the reports presented a distorted account of the incident and failed to reflect the “gallant efforts of troops who bravely defended communities against coordinated terrorist assaults”.
According to the statement, the attacks were carried out by remnants of Boko Haram fighters who had earlier been pushed out of Sambisa Forest during sustained military offensives but later regrouped to launch fresh assaults.
“The attacks on the multiple communities occurred when remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists, who had earlier been dislodged from the Sambisa Forest during sustained offensive operations by troops, regrouped and launched coordinated night attacks from multiple directions on vulnerable communities and troops’ locations,” Uba said.
The assaults targeted areas around Konduga, Ngoshe, Mainok and Jakana.
Uba said troops “responded swiftly and fought gallantly to repel the terrorists and defend the affected communities”.
“During the intense engagements, a number of terrorists were neutralised. Sadly, a Commanding Officer and some brave soldiers paid the supreme price while courageously confronting the attackers and preventing further devastation on other communities,” he added.
The army insisted that troops were not overrun during the attacks.
“It is important to note that the troops were not overrun as portrayed in the report. Rather, they engaged the terrorists from multiple fronts in a determined effort to protect innocent civilians and restore normalcy,” the statement said.
According to the military, the attackers employed “indiscriminate explosives and heavy night gunfire”, which led to civilian casualties as residents were caught in the crossfire triggered by the terrorists’ actions.
Following the attacks, the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, visited the theatre of operations in Maiduguri, where he met commanders and troops to reassess the operational situation.
“The Chief of Army Staff has directed the immediate reinforcement of troops and deployment of additional equipment to the affected areas to sustain the momentum against the fleeing terrorists,” Uba said.
He added that coordinated ground and air operations are ongoing to track down the attackers, dismantle their regrouping cells and rescue civilians who may have been abducted during the assaults.
The army also urged the public to ignore exaggerated accounts of the incident.
“Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard exaggerated and misleading reports aimed at undermining the morale of troops who continue to make enormous sacrifices in defence of the nation,” the statement said.
“The Nigerian Army assures Nigerians that it will maintain the operational momentum until all terrorist elements are completely neutralised.”
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