Death Of 100 Nigerian Soldiers: Presidency Keeps Mum

The Presidency is yet to speak on the reported death of as many as 100 Nigerian soldiers said to have been killed after a military base in Mtele village in Borno State was overran by Boko Haram insurgents affiliated with the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) last weekend.

According to media reports, the military lost the huge number of soldiers after the troops were overpowered by the Nigerian Islamic militants during two attacks on the 18th and 19th/20th of November in the north-eastern state.

Journalist Ahmed Salkida, who covers activities of the insurgents in Nigeria’s North East, quoted Arabic newspaper, Al-Naba News, as reporting that ISWAP had confirmed killing at least 100 soldiers during the attacks on the military base.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency has neither confirmed the attacks nor refuted the figure of soldiers said to have been killed by the insurgents.

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted a survivor among the soldiers attacked at the military base as saying: “The insurgents took us unawares. We lost about 100 soldiers. It is a huge loss.

“We all [ran away] because we didn’t know where the bullets were coming from. They killed some of us who went to evacuate the bodies of the killed soldiers. We left our armour, tanks and weapons … The village is still under their control.”

The attack is said to be one of deadliest attacks ever carried out by the sect since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.