One soldier has been killed with many others injured after Boko Haram terrorists attacked a convoy carrying Nigeria’s top army commander in charge of troops fighting insurgents in Borno, northeast of the country. The convoy also included other army generals who joined troops to repel the attack.
Theater commander of the operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi was unharmed in the attack that occurred some kilometers away from Auno in Kaga local government area of Borno State on Monday but many soldiers were not lucky as they got injured.
Local media reports said a driver attached to Adeniyi’s convoy died from injuries he sustained during the attack.
“The Theatre Commander’s convoy came under the criminals ineffective and uncoordinated fire from Anti-Aircraft Guns, Machines Guns, Rocket Propelled Grenades and some of their foot soldiers about 2 Kilometers to Auno in Kaga LGA of Borno State while returning from Jakana where he visited troops’ location following his earlier meeting with the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum at Auno,” an army statement said.
Army media coordinator in the war zone, Aminu Iliyasu in the statement on Tuesday said General Adeniyi led his men to repel the attack “with superior fire power” while troops who sustained injuries were being treated at an undisclosed hospital.
“In a commendable demonstration of bold action in battle, the Theatre Commander led the gallant troops of his convoy to engage the criminal Boko Haram Insurgents with superior fire power, subduing them and thereafter assaulting the ambush site with his men thereby causing the criminal insurgents to flee the location in disarray.
Other senior military officers in the Theatre Commanders’ convoy at the time of the ambush include “the Deputy Theatre Commander, Maj Gen MG Ali, Brig Gen EI Eze, Brig Gen SI Igbinomwanya and Lt AA Tejuoso,” he said.
The army spokesman said some weapons and military fatigue were recovered from the subdued terrorists.
“In the aftermath of the encounter, several Boko Haram criminal insurgents were decimated. Additionally, 20 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 2 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one camouflage trouser, one Nigeria Police Force fragmental jacket, 2 AK 47 Rifles and 3 AK 47 Rifle magazines were captured from the fleeing insurgents.”
Iliyasu said General Adeniyi and his convoy continued their trip after the attack “and have since returned safely to the Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Maiduguri. Regrettably, 2 soldiers were wounded in action during the encounter. The Wounded soldiers are currently receiving treatment at a military medical facility and are responding positively to treatment.”
The army has remained mute on media reports that one of its driver died during the attack.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last week said he was prepared to start withdrawing troops from the front lines as Boko Haram terrorists had been decimated.
Neighbouring Chad also began withdrawal of its troops from Nigeria’s northeast region last week, leaving many residents at the borders afraid for the future as the terrorists still embark on attacks once in a while.
The attack on the war commander comes on a day that about 30 people are said to have died in Gamboru, close to the Cameroonian border within the same Borno state after an improvised explosive device detonated on a bridge.
Boko Haram attacks Nigeria’s top army commander in insurgency-prone northeast
