President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed “profound grief and sorrow’’ over the loss of soldiers who were ambushed by terrorists in Gorgi Village, Borno State.
Th president’s reaction was contained in a Tuesday statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.
Insurgents reportedly waylaid soldiers and killed about 70, including a major and three officers on Monday.
According to AFP, Boko Haram fired rocket-propelled grenades at a lorry carrying troops as it travelled near Gorgi village in Borno State.
“The Boko Haram insurgents attacked the rear convoy where the multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) and sinotruk (yellow bucket) loaded with soldiers were positioned.
“Boko Haram utilised their rocket-propelled grenade ( RPG) fire and other support weapons on the vehicles and inflicted heavy casualties on the troops, wiping out the entire artillery troop.
“The full details of the casualties can’t be ascertained now. However, according to our contacts, it was confirmed that at least over 50 soldiers were killed and some of the KIA (killed in action), were burnt beyond recognition. Details of the names of the KIA is not known yet as it was difficult to identify the corpses,” TheCable quoted an unnamed military source as saying.
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Buhari said that “sacrifices of our gallant patriots cannot be quantified, and their sacrifices cannot go in vain,’’ while commiserating with their families and those that sustained injuries.
He said the death of every soldier causes deep pains because he knows what it means to be a soldier, and fully understands the extreme risks associated with the profession.
“Despite the tragedies and incidents, we cannot allow anarchists and mass murderers to hold the country hostage,’’ Buhari added.
The president appealed to the military “not to allow the incident to affect their morale’’.
He assured that his administration will continue to motivate and equip them adequately in order to cope with the complex challenges of unconventional warfare.
The Nigerian Army has dispatched a team to assess the situation and report back to the government.