Commanding Officer, 8 Soldiers Fatally Wounded in Borno Ambush

•Military intensifies offensive in several parts of N/East

•NAF attacks Boko Haram location in Malkonori

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have suffered another setback in the ongoing quest to rout the Boko Haram terrorists from the North Eastern part of the country with the reported fatal injury or death of the Commanding Officer of 114 Task Force Battalion, Lt-Col. B U Umar, and eight other soldiers.

THISDAY was informed that the casualty figures in the latest Boko Haram ambush could be well over eight officers and soldiers, including Umar

Sources, who could not ascertain yet whether the affected personnel were killed or survived the attacks, said that the unfortunate incidence occurred on Tuesday morning in Borno State.

“Yes. It is true as you might have heard. The unfortunate incidence happened between Bita and Piridang in Borno State but it’s not certain that they died as the CO and eight soldiers were fatally wounded with hope that they will survive the attack,” one of the sources said.

However, another source stated that the Commanding Officer who was heading towards Southern Borno with mine-resistant vehicles survived an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack only to come under heavy fire from the terrorists after stepping down to inspect the earlier explosion.

“I don’t think he made it but it’s safer to say he was fatally wounded and there were several casualties but the terrorists suffered more and all I can say is that we’re not deterred.

When contacted, the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, could not respond to several text messages and calls to either confirm or debunk the story.