Four Nigerian soldiers killed as Boko Haram sacks brigade

Four Nigerian soldiers who joined their colleagues to fight against Boko Haram terrorists have fallen in Borno State, Business Hallmark has learnt.

The insurgents attacked the Nigerian Army 5 Brigade in Gubio at about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday as the country prepared for the Eid festivities. The soldiers tried to defend their fort, suffering personnel and equipment losses in the process.

They stole four gun trucks, one mortar gun and one artillery gun during the attack. A tank that was stolen was later recovered in the nearby bush.

The assault forced military commanders to relocate troops and the 5 Brigade from Gubio, about 100 kilometres from Maiduguri, to Damasak, where the military operates a larger camp.

The military chief expressed fears that the entire stretch between Maiduguri to Damasak, spanning over 160 kilometres, is now without military presence and may be vulnerable to attacks.

A group of oil explorers from the state oil giant, NNPC, were killed along that route in 2017.

The latest attack comes weeks after Boko Haram elements ambushed a military convoy in Borno, leaving a colonel, a captain and five soldiers killed.