Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed nine Nigerian soldiers, with 20 others said to be missing in fierce fight in Borno, Northeast Nigeria.
The fallen and missing soldiers were said to belong to Operation Lafiya Dole.
It was gathered that the bodies of nine soldiers had been recovered in Gudumbali town of Borno State.
This followed a fierce battle between the troops and Boko Haram insurgents who were said to have planned a massive attack in the axis.
The soldiers were reportedly ambushed by the terrorists in a village called Granda, engaging them overnight from Monday until the early hours of Tuesday.
The troops were said to be closely supported with air warfare by the Air Component of the Operation Lafiya Dole.
Sources told Channels Television that some of the soldiers later fled, leading to the overpowering of the military base during which nine soldiers got killed in battle.
They added that seven out of the fallen soldiers were slaughtered as the insurgents beat a retreat.
The bodies of the slain soldiers have since been evacuated and deposited at the military hospital in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Eyewitnesses’ report said the insurgents carted away a fuel tanker and other vehicles of different brands.
But it is not clear if the terrorists abducted some of the missing soldiers as claimed, as only the outcome of a search party and a headcount would determine that.
The ambushed battalion had just been deployed to Gudumbali to commence a new operational strategy code-named “Super Camp”.
It was gathered that the insurgents had sent out spies around the military base who pretended to be farmers, only for the attack to happen.
The Nigerian Army authorities have yet to confirm the incident and the casualty figure.
