Four soldiers and an officers were killed on Friday after suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked the 119 Battalion Nigerian Army at about 10pm at Mallam Fatori, Northern Borno State.
Army spokesperson in a statement confirmed the death of a Lt. Colonel and 4 other soldiers injured.
He also said the soldiers were able to kill 14 insurgents.
The statement reads, ”Unfortunately, we lost an officer and 4 soldiers, while 4 other soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries during the encounter. One of those killed in action, was Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Abu Ali, the Commanding Officer of 272 Task Force Tank Battalion.
”It would be recalled that because of the late senior officer’s exceptional bravery and gallantry, he was given an accelerated promotion from the rank of Major to Lieutenant Colonel and was decorated by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai at Gamboru Ngala on 9th September, 2015 during an operational visit.
”So far, the troops have recovered 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 7 AK-47 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition. Mopping up and exploitation are ongoing,” Usman disclosed.
