The Army assured Nigerians that it will maintain operational momentum until all terrorist elements are completely neutralised.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Nigerian Army has denied reports that over 40 soldiers were killed when terrorists attacked several communities in Borno State recently.
The rebuttal was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI.
According to Uba, the reports relied on what he described as unverified sources, which misrepresented the events surrounding the attacks and the response by troops.
The statement read: “The attacks on the multiple communities occurred when remnants of 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 troop locations around the Konduga, Ngoshe, Mainok, and Jakana general areas.
“The troops on the ground responded swiftly and fought gallantly to repel the terrorists and defend the affected communities.”
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Uba, however, confirmed that “a Commanding Officer and some brave soldiers paid the supreme price while courageously confronting the attackers and preventing further devastation to other communities.”
He added: “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 attackers also employed indiscriminate explosives and heavy night gunfire, which regrettably resulted in civilian casualties as many residents were caught in the crossfire created by the terrorists’ reckless actions.”
The statement further noted that the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, had visited the theatre of operations in Maiduguri to assess the situation and review ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
During the visit, Shaibu reportedly directed the reinforcement of troops and the deployment of additional equipment to sustain operations against the insurgents.
The army stated that coordinated ground and air operations were ongoing to pursue fleeing terrorists and rescue civilians who may have been abducted during the attacks.
Uba urged members of the public to disregard exaggerated and misleading reports aimed at undermining the morale of troops, who continue to make enormous sacrifices in defence of the nation. He assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Army “will maintain the operational momentum until all terrorist elements are completely neutralised.”
