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Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
No fewer than 19 soldiers were feared killed in an ambush on military operation team in a Borno town by Boko Haram.
Boko Haram ambushed troops of 25 Task Force Brigade along Maiduguri-Damboa road on Tuesday afternoon.
Military sources said an exchange of fire ensured between troops and Boko Haram leading to the death of 19 soldiers. The incident was not immediately known in Maiduguri, Borno capital until Wednesday.
However, Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen John Enenche in a statement said two soldiers were killed and four others injured.
“Regrettably, 2 valiant soldiers paid the supreme price while 4 others were wounded in action. However, the wounded in action soldiers have been evacuated to a military medical facility and currently responding positively to treatment,” he disclosed.
He said the troops were of the 25/Task Force Brigade deployed to Damboa in the southern part of Borno in conjunction with their colleagues of Sector 2 Special Forces, Operation Lafiya Dole.
“Instinctively, the valiant troops out flanked and engaged the criminals with overwhelming volume of fire power forcing them to withdraw in disarray,” he said.
He maintained 17 Boko Haram were killed by own troops in the encounter.
The Maiduguri-Damboa road was reopened for the second time on January 28 almost two years after it was shut by the military. It was first closed in 2014 following incessant Boko Haram attacks and opened again in 2018 but later shut down as terror attacks increased.
