Boko Haram: Nigerian Army Recovers Corpses Of Missing Soldiers

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said one officer and fifteen soldiers have been found dead in a major river northeast of the country.


The sixteen personnel were part of the 46 officially declared missing more than six weeks ago.

Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole who made the announcement, said the soldiers were found dead in River Yobe,

“The corpses were recovered along Kamadogou River line area in Maiduguri,” Mr. Irabor, a major general, said. Mr. Irabor said the departed soldiers included K. Yusuf, a lieutenant colonel.

Prior to his kidnapping and ultimate death, Mr. Yusuf was the commander of Nigerian Army 223 Tank Battalion.

“They have since been buried in Maimalari Cantonment Cemetery with full military honours,” Mr. Irabor said.

It had reported how about 83 soldiers manning a Forward Operation Base in Gashigar, Borno State, went missing in a major Boko Haram attack on the evening of October 16, 2016.

After initial resistance, the poorly motivated troops abandoned their base and scampered for safety.

As they retreated, some soldiers jumped into River Yobe to escape the advancing insurgents.

The terrorists opened fire nonetheless, killing some of the troops and wounding others.