Military repels insurgents attack on Borno

*Army denies recall of deserter, dismissed soldiers

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said its fighter jets successfully combined with ground troops to repel the latest Boko Haram attack on Bita village in Borno State.
This is confirmed in a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Dele Alonge.
He said a large number of insurgents were killed in the operation carried out by Nigerian forces in the area.
Alonge said the Nigerian Air Force would continue to provide combat air support to the ground force in all operations carried out by Nigerian troops in the North East.
“The Nigerian Air Force using its Alpha-Jet provided combat air support to the ground force to attack the insurgents where they were observed to be mopping up to carry out a deadly attack on the village.
“Consequently, a large number of the insurgents were killed and several others injured,” he said.
Alonge said the NAF Alpha-Jet also conducted an armed reconnaissance along Bita to Gwoza road, and through Yamtege, Hamdaga, Dure and Pulka.
According to him, NAF will continue to give all necessary support to the ground force, through its intensified and persistent efforts in the on-going fight against Boko Haram.
He said the momentum would be sustained in the on-going operations against the terrorists in the North East, until all portions of Nigeria’s territory were safe and free from the insurgents.
The new Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadeeq Abubakar, has pledged to improve NAF fire power in the on-going fight against Boko Haram.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian army has dismissed recent reports making the rounds that the army command has recalled all dismissed and deserter soldiers.
The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday.
He said the Nigerian army was only reviewing some recent disciplinary cases and was yet to arrive at any decision to recall any soldier.
“The attention of the Nigerian army has been drawn to a correspondence making the rounds in some media regarding an administrative procedure to review some recent disciplinary cases in the Nigerian army.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the Nigerian army is reviewing all recent disciplinary cases due to the wave of litigations and petitions by some aggrieved personnel,” he said.
He urged the public, not to misconstrue the recent directive to mean total recall of dismissed and deserter soldiers.