…as rampaging, bandits kill 20 in Sokoto
Six soldiers, including two officers, who fought to repel a Boko Haram attack, Wednesday evening, were killed by the insurgents.
One of the victims was a colonel and another captain.
Several Boko Haram fighters were also killed by the Nigerian soldiers in the attack that occurred at about 6 p.m. along Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway during a patrol by the colonel and other soldiers of the 29 Task Force Brigade.
Army has not announced the development and its spokesman, Sagir Musa, did not return calls from Premium Times seeking comments on the incident.
Also, Premium Times is withholding the identity of the slain officers, saying they were not sure their families had been briefed by the Army.
Also read: Army neutralises Boko Haram insurgents in Buni-Yadi
The military has avoided announcing own casualties in recent months, including the two lieutenant colonels who were killed within the past two months.
However, a military source said the six soldiers were killed near their base in Jakana.
A soldier, who went missing has since returned to base, sources said. A reinforcement was sent from the 29 Task Force Brigade Headquarters in Benisheik to the Jakana outpost.
The remains of the colonel and five others have been sent to the Nigerian Army medical facility in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
… bandits in Sokoto
Meanwhile, bandits have killed over 20 persons in Dan Tatsako village in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
A source in the local government said the armed assailants arrived in the village at night and started shooting sporadically.
He said apart from the 20 persons killed, houses and other property were destroyed by the bandits.
He explained that survivors of the attack fled the village to seek refuge in nearby communities within Goronyo and Isa Local Government areas of Sokoto State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Sadiq, confirmed the attack, but at press time said the casualty figures were yet to be ascertained.
