EXCLUSIVE: Over 20 soldiers missing after Boko Haram attack on Borno Military camp

It has being obtained that on the August 4 attack on two military camps in Mallam Fatori village of Borno state, allegedly by insurgents of the extremist Boko Haram sect.

Reliable military sources said the attackers arrived the Section  Four camp manned by the Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF at about 5:30 a.m. that day and took the soldiers by surprise.

“The insurgents came around 5: 30a.m, surrounded the camp and launched a surprise attack on the camp which gave them an edge over us. Our men were caught off-guard,” one of our sources said.

He added that as a result of the surprise attack, the Boko Haram insurgents  overwhelmed the units they met on the ground and some of the soldiers were chased as far as Niger Republic.

Our sources also said the army were also surprised by the superior fire power of the attackers who reportedly also took away with them some weapons from the camp.

They however said members of the MNJTF later re-grouped and took back one of the camps, adding however that “the insurgents are still in control of one of the camps”.

Our sources said because of the fear of ambush, soldiers on the ground were yet to launch a rescue mission on the over 20 missing soldiers who are still missing with their weapons.

The authorities have simply declared them missing in action,” another source said. “But there is apprehension that the men have been killed.”

The spokespersons of the Joint Task Force and Defence Headquarters were yet to respond to enquiry on the status of the missing soldiers as at the time this report was published.

Conflicting casualty figures

Shortly after the attack, the Joint Task Force in Maiduguri issued a statement claiming that only two soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack.

However, the JTF commander in the state, Major General Jah Ewansiah reportedly informed Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima, when he visited the JTF Headquaters on a condolence visit that 12 soldiers were killed in the attack.

“We have lost 12 soldiers in Mallam Fatori and seven policemen in Bama attacks. But despite that the JTF is resolute and committed to ensure that peace is completely restored in Borno state, even if it means losing their lives,” Mr. Ewansiah had said.