Army Chief visit soldiers injured in 22 March Boko Haram ambush

Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, on Sunday personally visited soldiers who sustained various degrees of injuries when Boko Haram terrorists ambushed a convoy of troops under the Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Gorgi, Borno State, on 22 March 2020,

Army Spokesperson, Colonel Sagir Musa, said in a statement that General Buratai visited the wounded troops at the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital at Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri.

According to the statement, the Army Chief “went round the Hospital and saw the injured personnel and wish them quick recovery. Among the wounded, some have been evacuated to 44 Reference Hospital Kaduna for more specialist treatment/management.”

In today’s visit, General Buratai was accompanied by the Chief of Training and Operations (Army), Major General Enobong Okon Udoh, Theatre Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE Major General Faruk Yahaya, Commander Engineer Corps Major General JS Malu, Chief of Military Intelligece Major General SA Adebayo and Acting Provost Marshal Army Brigadier General H Ahmed, among others.

Immediately the incident was reported, General Buratai, on 25 March 2020, and represented by the Chief of Training and Operations (Army), Major General Enobong Okon Udoh, visited the soldiers and the scene to get a first-hand information on the ambush by terrorists.

Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu had then said that during the ambush, “no less than 150 Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised by the gallant troops while a large number of them retreated with gunshot wounds. Many of their equipment were also destroyed.”

Colonel Iliyasu however said that 29 personnel of Operation LAFIYA DOLE “paid the supreme price during the encounter as a result of the multiple explosions that occured when the engine of an army truck conveying artillery bombs, explosives and other munitions caught fire after being hit by a Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb fired by the criminal insurgents.”

Iliysu noted that “a few other soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries and were evacuated to the 7 Division Hospital Maimalari Cantonment where they are responding to treatment.”