Army loses Lt. Colonel in Boko Haram attack, kills 14 insurgents

Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked 119 Battalion, Nigerian Army location at Malam Fatori in northern Borno, on Friday, killing one officer and four soldiers.

The Army Spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Saturday that the troops fought gallantly, repelled the attack and killed 14 Boko Haram terrorists.

Usman gave the name of the officer that died in action as Lt.-Col. Muhammad Abu Ali, the Commanding Officer of 272 Task Force Tank Battalion.

He said that four other soldiers sustained various degrees of injury during the encounter.

He said, “It will 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, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, at Gamboru Ngala on Sept. 9, 2015, during an operational visit.”

Usman, however, said that the troops recovered one General Purpose Machine Gun, seven AK-47 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition.

According to him, mopping up and exploitation are ongoing.