47 Soldiers Killed in Just One Day

Monday March 23 was a dark one for Nigerian soldiers battling Boko Haram. 47 of them, according to the account of the Defence Headquarters, were killed by the terrorists, who ambushed them in Gorgi, Borno State. Unofficial sources said the figure could be above 70. After the killings, a military source said: “The terrorists specifically targeted a truck loaded with soldiers with RPGs and incinerated the vehicle, killing all on board. So far, 70 bodies have been recovered but the toll is certainly more than that, as rescue operation is still underway. Several soldiers were injured and some others taken captive by the jihadists.”

The Director, Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, subsequently made statements that apparently left much to be desired from the leadership of the military. Enenche said some of the terrorists were killed and their gun truck immobilised after the Air Component of Operation Lafiya Dole immediately scrambled to the scene and provided close air support to the ground troops. So, he is telling us that the terrorists waited at the scene, after killing the Nigerian soldiers, for the Air Force to come and attack them? A retired army officer told me yesterday that it was very unprofessional for the army to embark on the clearance operation without air coverage/support. The leadership of the military should address this, instead of painting a ludicrous picture of what transpired after the attack on our gallant soldiers.