An ambush by Boko Haram terrorists has left an unspecified number of Nigerian military personnel and civilians missing in Baga, a region on the fringes of Lake Chad.
According to anonymous military sources, the soldiers were ambushed while attempting to recover the bodies of 40 residents killed by the insurgents.
“Our troops went in search of dead bodies of civilians killed by the terrorists. We went too far in search of them, and the terrorists ambushed us, a combined team of the armed forces, including civilians,” a military source revealed to Channels Television.
“There was an exchange of fire, they killed some of our soldiers. We are yet to ascertain the number because the dead bodies are yet to be collected, and some soldiers are still returning to base.”
The ambush occurred on Tuesday in Baga, following a deadly attack by suspected terrorists of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) that killed scores of farmers in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
A civilian source in Baga reported that approximately 50 civilians, including members of the civilian joint task force, local hunters, and young men, had mobilized to recover the bodies of those killed. However, only one person has returned so far.
“About 50 villagers mobilized and went out to recover the dead bodies of the villagers that were killed by Boko Haram terrorists, and then the terrorists ambushed them,” the civilian source explained.
“They killed several people, but we don’t know the number yet because one person has returned to the village, and we are awaiting others.”
Previously in Gwoza, six people were killed, including five repentant insurgents, civilian joint task force members, and hunters.
