AT LEAST ONE NIGERIAN ARMY OFFICER AND 17 SOLDIERS DIED IN BATTLE ON SUNDAY AFTER THEIR BASE CAME UNDER SUDDEN BUT VICIOUS ATTACK BY BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS, MILITARY INSIDERS FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER HAVE TOLD NEWS REPORTERS.
THE ARMY CONFIRMED THE ATTACK ON MONDAY BUT SAID ONLY ONE OFFICER AND SIX SOLDIERS WERE KILLED. THE ARMY ALSO SAID ITS OFFICIALS, INCLUDING REINFORCEMENTS, SUCCESSFULLY REPELLED THE ATTACK.
TOP MILITARY SOURCES, HOWEVER, SAID THE ARMY’S PUBLIC STATEMENT DELIBERATELY UNDERPLAYED THE ATTACK AND THAT IT IS NOT A TRUE REFLECTION OF WHAT TRANSPIRED.
SOURCES REVEALED THAT APART FROM THOSE KILLED, NO FEWER THAN 43 OTHER SOLDIERS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED WHILE 50 OTHER PERSONNEL REMAINED MISSING AS OF MONDAY MORNING.
THE AFFECTED MILITARY BASE, THE HEADQUARTERS OF 156 TASK FORCE BATTALION IN MAINOK, WAS VIRTUALLY COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS THE BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS CARTED AWAY ARMS AND AMMUNITION, BURNING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.
MAINOK IS ABOUT 60 KILOMETRES WEST OF MAIDUGURI, THE BORNO STATE CAPITAL.
