The embattled Nigerian troops operating in the Northern Borno State towns of Gudumbali and Kareto have rejoined other troops in their units for further action, Sani Kukasheka the army spokesman has disclosed.
Kukasheka confirmed this in a terse statement in the wee hours of Friday saying the troops had slight setback within the week. However, the situation is being stabilized he also stated.
As stated by him, the Commanding Officer is currently with his soldiers insisting the earlier media reports were exaggerated.
He reiterated that the incidence was just a minor setback which are common in military operations.
The Nigerian Army had yesterday evening, denied reports that troops of 157 Task Force Battalion were overran by the Boko Haram terrorists in Guzamala axis of Borno State and that several personnel were killed and several others cannot be accounted for including the Commanding Officer of the Unit.
The Theatre Command while clarifying the report stated it is a fabrication from the imagination of those sympathetic to Boko Haram ways of life.
A statement by the Operation Lafiya Dole Media coordinator, Colonel Tukur Gusau yesterday evening stated that, ‘Although the location of 157 Battalion was attacked last Wednesday and was subsequently repelled by the gallant troops of the Unit, the Commanding Officer of the Unit is in contact with his Brigade Commander.’
The statement added that the unit suffers some casualties which is normal in military operations, adding that the affected personnel sustained minor injuries but no gunshot wound was sustained by the troops.
Gusau stated the number of casualty and equipment lost as being circulated is not correct stressing that the situation was unnecessarily blown beyond proportion to give terrorists the type of propaganda they desired.