The Nigerian Army has said the Boko Haram terrorists waited in ambush for troops of the Nigerian Army at Wala village in northern Borno State to steal foods being conveyed to the military base.
The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, confirmed this on Sunday, adding that the troops were able to, however, fight through the ambush and killed two of the terrorists.
The army said its intelligence revealed that the terrorists were informed about the troops’ movement, which they saw as “an opportunity to grab foodstuffs that they direly needed for survival.”
The troops of 26 Brigade Garrison were on patrol and escort duties of civilian merchants and commuters along Wala village on Saturday when they ran into the insurgents, who opened “heavy gunfire on them.”
The army noted that it was able to fight through the ambush and also recovered two AK-47 rifles.
Musa, said, “In its routine effort at providing and maintaining a steady passage of persons and goods as well as free vehicular movements along notable routes in the North-East, troops of 26 Brigade Garrison on Saturday had a fierce encounter with a desperate terrorists’ ambush team craving for food and other essentials.
“During the encounter, troops responded with heavy gunfire, exterminated two terrorists and captured two AK-47 rifles. Subsequently, intelligence revealed that the terrorists were informed by their informants of the troops’ movement, wanting to use the opportunity to grab foodstuffs.”
“The acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, Brig.-Gen Abdulmalik Biu, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, commended the troops for the successes achieved and urged them to be more decisive to end the insurgency.”
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