Boko Haram insurgents have allegedly killed an army lieutenant and two vigilante members in an ambush in the Lake Chad area of Borno State.
The Herald learned that the attack came five days after the military takeover of the Boko Haram enclave in Krenowa in Marte Local Government Area, of the state.
According to Daily Trust, the military takeover of the enclave was part of efforts to advance their fight against the terrorists.
But in a chat with the newspaper, a source said the soldiers, who were from 50 Task Force Brigade, came under heavy bombardment at Krenowa village on Saturday.
The source stated that the attack forced the soldiers to withdraw, abandoning 12 out of 15 motorbikes deployed for the operation.
He said the soldiers, numbering more than a hundred and equipped with several gun trucks and other equipment, retreated to Marte town.
The source indicated that an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) tank was damaged in the attack, which occurred around 1 am while the driver escaped with a leg injury.
“We took the fight to the terrorists at their hideout when suddenly we came under fire that forced us to retreat. I believe they were hiding underground because there was no sign of them before the ambush. We took shelter at the headquarters of the 27 Task Force in Marte town,” the source narrated.
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The source further disclosed that the corpse of the slain officer, a member of the civilian JTF and another vigilante member could not be recovered immediately due to the intensity of the insurgents’ firepower.