Army Explains Killing of Commanding Officer, Two Soldiers by Boko Haram

Army Explains Killing of Commanding Officer, Two Soldiers by Boko Haram
  • NAF kills 12 bandits, rescues 15 kidnap victims

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Army wednesday explained the circumstances surrounding the death of the Commanding Officer (CO) of 154 Task Force Battalion, Borgozo, Borno State, Lt. Col. Yusuf Ibrahim Aminu, and two other soldiers.

This is coming as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said its recently inaugurated 271 NAF Detachment in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, yielded dividends with the killing of 12 armed bandits in the area and the release of 15 kidnap victims.

The Army Headquarters said the fallen soldiers died in action while on a clearance operation.

“The late Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf Ibrahim Aminu was the Commanding Officer (CO), of 154 Task Force Battalion Borgozo.

“He was on a clearance operation along Mauli- Borgozo when his vehicle climbed on a buried Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which detonated resulting in his death and that of two other soldiers, while others were wounded in action,” army said.

The statement signed by army’s spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, said the fallen soldiers were buried in Maimalari Military Cantonment Cemetary, Maiduguri, Borno State.

He said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has commiserated with the families of the diseased.

Buratai said “the patriotic officer and two soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice while on clearance operations along Mauli-Borgozo axis on Monday, May 13, 2019.

“The sacrifices of all the deceased officers and soldiers of the NA are no doubt painful to all, but that will further ginger the serving gallant troops to do more to ensure that the nation remains secure and peaceful”.

Meanwhile, the NAF said it conducted air strikes that killed 12 armed bandits in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State and rescued 15 kidnap victims.

It said the action was the outcome of the recent establishment of the 271 NAF Detachment in the area.

“The establishment of the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Detachment in Birnin Gwari is yielding steady dividends as air strikes conducted by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Diran Mikiya in liaison with troops of the detachment, have resulted in the neutralisation of 12 armed bandits as well as the release of 15 kidnap victims”, a NAF statement said.

The update signed by NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said “the air strikes, which were conducted on the heels of intelligence reports indicating that the armed bandits were camped within the Kamuku forest area, straddling both Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State and Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State, caused the bandits to flee the location in disarray, thereby enabling the kidnap victims to escape, with some finding their way to Nacibi, and others to Gobirawa and Dogon Muazu in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area,” NAF explained.

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