The Nigerian military has confirmed that one soldier died while another was wounded during a gun battle with Boko Haram militants who attacked Garkida, a town in Adamawa State, on Friday.
Boko Haram had stormed Garkida, in northern Adamawa State’s Gombi local government area on Friday evening and destroyed valuables, including churches and houses.
But the 23 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army which has its headquarters in Yola, said it had responded to interrupt advances of the insurgents, killed some of them and lost a soldier to them.
“Gallant troops of 232 Battalion of 23 Armoured Brigade under Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed in Garkida, Gombi LGA of Adamawa State, had thwarted a planned criminal attack on the peaceful town on 21 February 2020 by some criminal Boko Haram Terrorists,” the military formation said in a statement obtained by DAILY POST Sunday morning.
According to the statement signed by Major Haruna Mohammed Sani, Assistant Director Army Public Relations of the 23 Armoured Brigade, “The terrorists besieged the town in about 7 Gun Trucks and a number of motorcycles, setting some buildings ablaze and causing unrest within the community.
“Instinctively, the gallant troops mobilized and intercepted the criminals’ advance and engaged the marauding criminals unleashing high volume of fire, leading to the elimination of several of the criminals while others withdrew in disarray, many of them with gunshot wounds as evident in the trails of blood along their withdrawal route.
“Regrettably, one gallant soldier paid the supreme price while another soldier was wounded in action. The wounded in action soldier has since been evacuated to a military medical facility and is positively responding to treatment.”
The statement added that the Commander of the 23 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Sani Gambo Mohammed, who visited the troops in Garkida on Saturday and toured the locations of the attack for an on the spot assessment, congratulated the troops for their fighting spirit, but warned them to be vigilant as the criminal elements might plan a reprisal attack due to the casualties they suffered.
