New Telegraph

Army buries Commanding Officer, four others killed by Boko Haram

 

The Nigerian Army has buried a Commanding Officer, Major Bedan Ishaya and four other soldiers killed by suspected members of Boko Haram on February 14.
The soldiers were killed during an attack by the insurgents on a military base in the Marte Local Government Area of Borno state.
Ishaya was said to have led a reinforcement of soldiers from the 22 battalion to Marte to support dislodged troops when they were ambushed.
The bodies of the late major, a sergeant, two lance corporals and a private soldier were all laid to rest on Saturday at the Maimalari Cantonment Military Cemetary.
Deputy Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Felix Omoigui while condoling with the families of the fallen heroes, said it was a grim day in the division.
He said: “Today is indeed a sad day for all of us; our officers and soldiers who fought gallantly before their death were exemplary, unfortunately they had to pay the supreme price.”
He assured the families of the fallen heroes that the death of slain soldiers would not be in vain, maintaining that the army was committed to winning the fight against insurgency.
“We want to assure you that we will do all our best to ensure this insurgency is brought to an end soonest. We have lost a lot with their departure from us: the Nigerian nation as a whole has lost; the theatre and of course the family has lost,” the Deputy Theatre Commander said.
“I want to encourage you to be strong. God knows why he called them back; for those of us that are alive we will have to be strong so I enjoin us, as painful as it is, for us as a family to be strong and move on with our lives.”
Boko Haram had in February overrun Marte, and while most of the villagers ran away for safety, some were held by the insurgents.
Online news portal, SaharaReporters learnt that the gunmen, who came with heavy machine guns and trucks, also took possession of the military hardware in the community, including high profile fighting equipment and vehicles.
Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, have become more ferocious in recent times.
The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency had been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.
The terror group has caused over 40,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

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