SAN FRANCISCO, November 29, (THEWILL) – The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday said only 23 soldiers were killed in the Boko Haram attack on Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion.
He also put the number of troops wounded in action, in the attack on November 18, at 31.
Curiously, some media outlets, including London-based newswire, Reuters, placed casualty figures at about 100 as of November 22, four days after the attack.
Other reports claim that 118 bodies have been counted as of November 24, six days after the attack. The sources also said 153 troops were missing in action.
However, speaking at the 2018 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference in Maiduguri, Buratai said: “as of November 28, 23 personnel were killed in action and 31 personnel were wounded in action,” according to excerpts of his comments circulated by Sani Usman, a brigadier-general and former Army spokesperson.
Buratai said the wounded have been evacuated to several hospitals across Borno State, the heartland of Boko Haram insurgency and commisserated with the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) contingent deployed against Boko Haram.
“All necessary support will be rendered to the MNJTF to reverse this resurgence of the Boko Haram,” Buratai added, insisting that the jihadist group has been degraded.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to further commiserate with the families of the gallant officers and soldiers that paid the supreme price in the course of defending their fatherland.
“The sacrifices of these fallen heroes will not be in vain.”
