Lt
H Shuiabu was the Nigerian Army Commander of the 233 battalion FOB
killed in action on October 17th 2017 (Photo: Sahara Reporters Media)
An
investigative report has revealed more details surrounding the shocking
death of an Army Commander and eight soldiers in the hands of Boko
Haram terrorists in Yobe state.
The death of Lieutenant H. Shuaibu, Army Commander of a forwarding
base in Sassawa, Yobe State, and eight soldiers in the hands of Boko
Haram terrorists could have been averted, SaharaReporters can disclose.
According to a Nigerian Army situation report seen by
SaharaReporters, the Army received credible intelligence that Boko Haram
terrorists were planning a major attack on troops of the 233 Battalion
stationed at the forwarding base in Sassawa, 35 kilometers East of
Damaturu, on October 17, 2017.
Members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) affiliated to the
Army and villagers had informed the troops after discovering that Boko
Haram members were congregating in the area.
Following the receipt of the information, Army Intelligence
officers notified the Nigerian Air Force and requested for air cover.
Curiously, however, the request was not acted upon until the terrorists
struck, killing Lieutenant Shuaibu, eight soldiers and seriously
injuring 3 others.
The situation report showed that the Army only managed to send a
few gun trucks to fortify the base after learning of the impending
attack. This followed the failure of the Nigerian Air Force to provide
air cover to the troops.
A top Army source told Saharareporters that Boko Haram has regained
vitality, which has seen the insurgent group carry out deadly attacks
on Nigerian troops with increasing frequency. This indicates a loss of
momentum by the Nigerian troops in the counter-insurgency offensive.
Boko Haram terrorists arrived the base in with seven gun trucks and
a platoon of fighters armed with machine guns and other high-grade
military weapons. After ransacking the base and killing the nine
soldiers, they blew up the facility.
It took the dislocated troops and hurriedly assembled reinforcements about one hour to dislodge the terrorists.
The effort resulted in three deaths on Book Haram side but left a
yet to be determined number of troops missing, the report stated.
It equally revealed that the terrorists made away with Army gun
trucks and a high-frequency radio used for operations in the North-East.
Troops at the theatre of operations, it was also revealed, are
currently afflicted with low morale arising from non-payment of their
salaries and allowances for two months. The non-payment of salaries is
on account of the failure of the Army hierarchy to comply with the
Treasury Single Account policy of the Federal Government, the reason for
which the Federal Ministry of Finance has refused to release the money.
In addition, military sources in Abuja said the Chief of Army
Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai and the Chief of Air
Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar are intensely jostling for the
position of the chief Defense Staff after Buhari confided in aides that
the position of the Chief of Army Staff will go next to the Southwest
region.
Source: SaharaReporters
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