Soldier dies, six missing as Boko Haram attacks army base

The Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, has  promised to provide  troops  battling  Boko Haram in the North-East  as well as those involved in other security operations  with more weapons.

Buratai made the promise when he visited troops at the Forward Operation Base in Borno State on Tuesday.

Meanwhile,  Boko Haram fighters attacked a Nigerian Army base in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State on Sunday evening, military sources have confirmed.

 A  soldier was reportedly  killed while three others were injured.

Although   government forces repelled  the attack and limited the  casualty figure,   sources claimed  six soldiers were  still missing as of press time on Wednesday.

PUNCH correspondent learnt that  Buratai’s visit to the front  line was to assess the effectiveness of the ongoing operations against  Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province.

According to acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, in a statement, the COAS  urged troops to adhere strictly to the extant Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct while on the internal security duties.

Musa said, “The Chief of Army Staff has for some days now been in the North-East theatre of operation where he visited troops on  the front line. The latest was his visit to troops of Forward Operation Base at Buratai, Borno State on Tuesday. He interacted with the soldiers and urged them to remain focused and committed to bringing terrorism to an end.

“He assured them that more equipment would  be inducted into the mission areas to boost their efforts in the war against terrorism and other security challenges  in Nigeria. He also assured them of his commitment to their welfare and their families.”