Sunday 23 August 2015

Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Escapes Boko Haram Ambush, Soldier Killed

Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai narrowly escaped a Boko Haram ambush yesterday on the Maiduguri-Dikwa road, Borno State, but his advance team did and lost one soldier while five Boko Haram terrorists were killed by the advance team in the gun fire exchange. Four terrorists surrendered.

The soldiers  were on their  way to Dikwa ahead of Gen.Buratai who is currently visiting troops in towns and villages recently liberated from terrorists in the state.

Also during the trip, the Chief of Army arrested four other suspected Boko Haram members after picking them from the midst of herdsmen. As Buratai’s  convoy was made its way to Dikwa, eagle eyed soldiers grew suspicious of  some men among the herdsmen and their cattle. The COAS ordered the convoy to stop and got four men and an elderly Fulani man arrested.

The Fulani man confessed during interrogation that he met the suspects just before their arrest and had actually forced themselves on his party.

The four  confessed that they were indeed  members of the terror sect.
They were there and then whisked off to Maiduguri.

The Army Chief visited Dikwa,  Mafa and Gamboru-Ngala.
At Mafa, General Buratai commended soldiers of  the 7 Division of the army for a job well done.
He  assured them of  improved welfare and allowances.

He however told the  soldiers that  “there is still more job to be done and we have to do this once and for all so that all of us can go back to our respective barracks and continue with our normal jobs as soldiers”.

In Dikwa  the COAS  was welcome with cheers by over 4000 internally displaced persons from Gamboru and neighbouring towns, who were full of praises and prayers for him and his soldiers.

Buratai who addressed them  in Kanuri pledged that  that they would soon be resettled as his troops are working round the clock  to rid the area of terrorists.

In Ngala town, the Army chief met jubilant troops   celebrating the liberation of the area.
He was accompanied by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Baba Abubakar who made the trip by air.

Culled from:

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