Many soldiers are believed to be missing after Monday renewed attack on a military location near the Nigerian-Niger border town in the northern part of Borno but army yesterday maintained the report of missing troops was not true.
Some Boko Haram in a convoy of four-wheel vehicles attacked the 223 Tank Battalion at Gashigar at the Nigerian border fringe with Niger.
Sources said about 83 soldiers could not be accounted for hours after the attack, while some that sustained injuries have been evacuated to a Nigerien community for treatment.
A military source confirmed to Saturday Sun that, “some soldiers are still missing” but added that the number could be about a dozen. This was also corroborated by another army personnel, saying some of our colleagues are “yet to be reached.”
The personnel maintained that troops may be “missing in action” in such unique operation like the counter-insurgency war in the northeast.
Meanwhile, Army Spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman, described the claim as untrue.
“It is not true and not correct,” he said in a short message.
He blamed some newsmen for engaging in “campaign of calumny” against the efforts of the Nigerian military to end insurgency and terrorism in the country.
In November 2015, some troops were also reported missing during a battle with Boko Haram at Gudumbali, also in northern Borno
