‘Buratai Said Only 23 Soldiers Were Killed, But Over 100 Privately Buried’ – Army Colonel

A Colonel has faulted the Nigerian Army’s claim that only 23 soldiers were slain during an attack on the 157 Taskforce Battalion at a military base in Metele, Borno State, on November 18.

A widow to one of the soldiers killed during the attack had also expressed suspicion that the Army was concealing the real figure of casualty it suffered during the attack.

THE WHISTLER recalls that the Army had faulted media reports indicating that as many as 100 soldiers were allegedly killed during the attack said to have been carried out by a faction of the Boko Haram insurgents known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

“During the attack, the troops were forced to withdraw and several casualties were recorded. As at date 23 personnel were killed in action and 31 personnel wounded and have been evacuated to several medical hospitals within Borno State,” the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, had been quoted as saying in a statement on November 29 by Army spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka.

But disputing the figure given by the Army, Punch quoted a Colonel who pleaded anonymity as saying, “Gen Buratai said only 23 soldiers were killed in the attack. He also put the number of troops wounded in action at 31. However, we all know that is not true. Over 100 were killed and a private burial is now being organised in order not to expose their lies.”

The newspaper also quoted one of the widows as saying, “Sincerely, we don’t even know how many will be buried and the army is not giving us any information.”