Boko Haram fighters have killed nine soldiers in the Doma area of Nasarawa State who were sent on a rescue operation in a forest along Mararaba-Udege road in the state, linking Otukpo Oweto in Benue State.
The slain soldiers were led by an officer Felix Kura, an indigene of Benue State according to reports, were on a mission to dislodge the Boko Haram terrorists from the forest who kidnapped some indigenes of the state and held them captive.
The operation led to about five Boko Haram terrorists’ death before they were overpowered by the terrorists whose weapons, it was gathered, were more sophisticated than those used by the soldiers.
According to reports, the slain soldiers were from the 177 Guards Battalion, Shitu Barracks in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
“As soon as they ran into the ambush and they realised they were being overpowered, Kura was said to have told his colleagues to escape.
“The authorities of the 117 Guards Battalion have informed the families of the slain soldiers of their fate, and a signal has been sent to the headquarters,” a source said.
A source in the barracks said, “We lost nine soldiers in that mission and not seven, it is quite unfortunate but that is the supreme price of a military officer.
“We are currently collaborating with Four Special Forces Command of the Nigerian military headquarters in Doma LGA of the state to reinforce and launch a reprisal; we are not giving up. We must overrun them and make sure we dislodge them completely.”
The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, had on Friday raised the alarm over the terror group’s activities, Boko Haram in the state.
After a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, he had told State House Correspondents that Boko Haram fighters were regrouping in the state.