Suspected Boko Haram insurgents killed seven Nigerian soldiers and captured 13 others, including a commanding officer, during an ambush in Damasak, Borno State, on Monday afternoon, security sources have confirmed.
The troops were on patrol in the Mobbar Local Government Area when they encountered the terrorists around 2 p.m. A fierce gun battle ensued, resulting in the death of seven soldiers.
According to sources briefed on the incident and cited by Reuters, 11 soldiers managed to escape, but 13 others, among them a Major who led the patrol were taken captive.
“The Major fought hard, but in the end, he was captured and his phone was taken by Boko Haram,” one security source revealed.
In a chilling aftermath, when the surviving troops returned to their base and attempted to call the officer’s number, it was answered by an individual claiming to be a Boko Haram member. The caller confirmed that the Major and other soldiers were being held by the group.
