Unspecified numbers of Nigerian military personnel have been missing in a recent ambush by Boko Haram terrorists in Baga, at the fringes of the Lake Chad.
Personnel of the armed forces, who spoke with newsmen in anonymity, said soldiers were ambushed while trying to recover dead bodies of 40 residents killed by the insurgents and several soldiers were shot dead in the gun battle that ensued.
“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 played ambush on us. A combined team of the armed forces including civilians.
“There was 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, so we are yet to know the number of deaths,” the military source said.
Another civilian source in Baga said about 50 civilians went to recover dead bodies of those killed yesterday but only one person has return so far.
The source said the 50 men include civilian joint taskforce, local hunters and some other young men.
“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. They killed several people, but we don’t know the number yet because one person has return to the village, we are awaiting others.
“I don’t know the casualty on the side of the military as such I cannot talk about it, but the civilians include civilian joint taskforce members, hunters and vigilantes,” the local source said.
This incident occurred on Tuesday in Baga after an attack that killed forty residents.
There was an attack in Gwoza which resulted in the death of six people, five of them are said to be repentant insurgents, civilian joint taskforce and hunters.
