By Ndahi Marama

MAIDUGURI—Troops of 26 and 28 Task Force Brigades repelled an early morning daring attack by fleeing Boko Haram terrorists on military locations at Pulka and Bitta in the fringes of Sambisa forest.

Army

This was disclosed by Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director Army Public Relations in a press statement  on Tuesday.

Pulka and Bitta District is in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state located south and about 150 km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.

‘Today, troops of 114 Task Force Battalion came under three-pronged attack by Boko Haram terrorists fanning out of Sambisa forest from Damboa, Tokumbere and Pulka axis.

“At the end of the debacle, 2 Boko Haram insurgents paid for their atrocities with their lives while several others sustained gun shot injuries. The fate that befell those that attacked Pulka was more dreadful.

‘The ever ready and vigilant troops rose to the occasion by repelling the attacks and  killing all the 16 attackers and captured one of them alive during the exploitation.

The gallant troops also recovered 11 AK-47 rifles, 3 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 1 Browning Machine Gun (BMG) and 2 Toyota Hilux vehicles. Others are a 60mm Mortar tube, 7  boxes of 12.7mm  ammunition and 1 belt of 12.7mm ammunition”. Col. Usman stated.

The statement however said, it is gratifying to state that there were no casualty on their own troops except for 3 soldiers that sustained minor injuries.

He therefore stated that the troops remained on maximum alert and are equally busy consolidating and continuing with their clearance operations with high morale.

The Army Spokesman noted that it has become imperative and compelling to warn all Boko Haram insurgents to heed Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari’s fatherly counsel for them to drop their weapons and accept  the option of peaceful resolution of this crisis before the superior military might is unleashed on the remnant renegades hiding in the Sambisa forest.