While a detachment of Nigerian soldiers were busy repelling a Boko haram attack on Dikwa Borno state, another set of troops encountered and killed other elements of Boko haram insurgents at Mairari also in Borno state.
Nigerian Army released a statement Sunday confirming that 16 Boko haram insurgents were killed at Mairari village in Monguno Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State, North-East Nigeria.
Read: Nigeria Army Troops Repel Boko Haram Attack Again in Borno
While confirming the incident, the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, said the incident occurred on Friday evening when soldiers deployed in the Forward Operational Base (FOB) along Mairari in Monguno encountered the Boko haram insurgents and recovered two gun trucks after a gunfight.
The Boko haram insurgents had attacked the community, conveyed in three vehicles including two gun trucks when locals had alerted the FOB troops who responded swiftly to the attack.
The Deputy Director reiterated that, “The troops supported by the Air Task Force swiftly responded to the attack, killing 16 insurgents and capturing two gun trucks abandoned by the insurgents, as they tried escaping having been overwhelmed by the superior firepower from the troops,”
Colonel Onyema also reported that troops also recovered 163 rounds of Anti-Aircraft Gun Ammunition during the fierce encounter.
Speaking on casualties, Colonel Onyema reported that four civilians and a soldier were injured during the gun battle between the Boko haram insurgents and Nigerian troops; the injured were promptly evacuated to a military hospital in the state where they have been receiving medical attention.
The Nigerians troops were reinforced in the area after the incident while troops were also hot on the heels of escaped insurgents who fled the attacks.
Also on Friday evening Nigerian troops had repelled a Boko haram attack on Dikwa community in Borno State with no recorded casualties and troops in hot pursuit of the assailants.