Boko Haram kills two soldiers, injures 11 in Borno attack

Troops recover 25 bodies of terrorists
• Benue seeks end to herdsmen, farmers’ clashes

Two soldiers were on Tuesday killed and 11 others injured by Boko Haram terrorists during an attack on their military camp in Borno State.
A statement confirming the attack issued by the spokesman of the Army, Col. Sani Usman yesterday, said the two soldiers were killed due to poor visibility when troops of 119 Task Force Battalion stationed in Kangarwa in Kukawa Local Council of Borno State were trying to repel an attack by the insurgents.

The statement said: “The attack, which started at about 6.30 p.m., was successfully repelled after about three hours of exchange of heavy gunfire that inflicted tremendous casualty on the terrorists.
“Unfortunately, two of our gallant soldiers paid the supreme price while 11 were wounded.”

The number of terrorists killed could not be ascertained, but another statement issued by Usman said 25 bodies of the assailants were recovered.
Usman said: “As at this (Wednesday) morning, the troops counted 25 bodies of the Boko Haram terrorists and recovered two Rocket Propelled Grenade 7 (RPG 7) tubes, a 60mm mortar tube, two machine Guns, 12 AK47 rifles and one light machine gun.

Meanwhile, as the killing of innocent farmers from Logo/Ukum Local Council of Benue State by suspected Fulani marauders remains unabated, Deputy Governor of the state, Benson Abounu, has called on the Federal Government to fully deploy soldiers to the affected areas to end the senseless killings in the state.
Abounu, who made the call yesterday while speaking with journalists after an emergency executive council meeting, regretted that the killings have continued to escalate into a full-blown war.

The deputy governor’s appeal is coming on the heels of fresh attacks on peasant farmers in the densely-populated communities in the council where marauding fulani herdsmen laid ambush in a church premises killing people.

Abounu, who also regretted the inability of security operatives to arrest perpetrators of the dastardly act since the outbreak of the crisis, said: “If the police are not able to arrest just one person, then it shows that this thing is beyond them and I think for the security of this state and that of the nation, it is important that soldiers are deployed fully so that these senseless killings will stop.”