Nigeria: Soldiers Missing As Insurgents Overwhelm Borno Army Installations

By Native Reporters

Several soldiers and few officers reportedly ‘went missing’ on Friday after insurgents overwhelmed 153 Infantry Battalion and the 22 Armored Brigade, Marte, Borno State in a surprise attack.

Both army formations were in one base when the insurgents launched an assault on them. Troops were said to have withdrawn from their positions when they were overpowered.

“Troops tried very hard and almost suppressed the offensive but the insurgents sent reinforcements. Troops could not withstand the superior firepower of the insurgents and had to abandon their positions,” a military source confirmed on Saturday.

Most of the soldiers and officers sought refuge in Dikwa town which had army base while many others have not been accounted for, the source added.

The insurgents were said to have looted valuables including large caliber guns before setting the army installations ablaze.

The Brigade Commander and the Commanding Officer of the battalion were among the troops that retreated to Dikwa where the General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, was supposed to meet with them on Saturday, the source stated.

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Bandits Abduct 18 Police Officers In Kaduna 

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted 18 police officers around Farin-Ruwa junction along the Birnin Gwari- Funtua road in Kaduna State.

SaharaReporters gathered that the policemen were on transit from Minna in Niger State to Kano State when they were attacked on Friday.

Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU) Chairman, Barrister Salisu Haruna, confirmed the attack in a statement.

The 18 police officers, who are on surveillance along Birnin Gwari Funtua road, were attacked on Friday. As at the time of filing this report, we could not ascertain the number of casualties. Eyewitness feared that some of the police officers were killed while others are said to be missing in the bush.

Native Reporters