The Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi
Olonishakin, on Friday admitted that a
number of Nigerian soldiers went missing
after a fierce gunfight with Boko Haram
insurgents.
Mr. Olonishakin, a general, said the soldiers
went missing due to some ‘operational issue’
during the battle with the terrorists.
”There were operational issues, but as I speak
with you, the troops have re-joined their
units,” the defence chief said in Jos when
journalists asked him the status of the missing
soldiers.
Mr Olonishakin’s confirmation of the incident
came hours after the army, after three
previous self-contradicting statements, also
admitted the incident happened.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively and
authoritatively reported that at least 105
soldiers attached to the 157 battalion went
missing after they came under intense attack
from Boko Haram insurgents in Gudunbali,
Borno State, on Wednesday morning.
Reliable military insiders also told this
newspaper that the terrorists captured a T-72
tank as well as several artillery weapons from
the unit.
The army was initially reluctant to answer
questions about the incident when contacted
by PREMIUM TIMES.
The spokesperson of the army, Sani Usman,
before the story was published, directed us to
forward our enquiries to officials of 7 Division
in Maiduguri.
However, the spokesperson of the 7 Division,
Tukur Gusau, a colonel, also declined to
comment, saying the commander of the
division would address a press conference on
the issue later on Thursday and that it was
improper for him to pre-empt his
commanding officer.
However, after our story ran, Mr. Usman
called our reporter to officially confirm that
the attack indeed took place as reported.
“I want to confirm the incidence at Gudunbali
but the details you provided were not correct.
“The unit attacked is within the area of
responsibility of the MNJTF and troops are
now organising to counteract the attack,” he
said.
However, he did not give contrary details of
the attack to counter PREMIUM TIMES account
of the incident. He merely added that the
theatre of command would provide details
during a press conference in Maiduguri later
on Thursday.
At the press briefing, attended by our reporter
in Maiduguri, the commander of 7 Division,
Yushau Abubakar, also admitted that the
troops were involved in a major clash with
the insurgents. He further stated that several
causalities were recorded on both sides.
“Our troops were attacked in Gudumbali
where we dislodged the Boko Haram there.
We had an attack and we are sorting it out.
But I have not heard anything relating to what
is being reported in the media, he said.
He however became evasive when pressed
further for details of the attack by journalists.
“I have spoken with the CO (commanding
officer) there even this morning and I have
not heard anything of such from him. Yes, we
went to Gudumbali and we were attacked and
we repelled them and we are currently
sorting out the situation. In war anything can
happen and the operation is ongoing.”
However, later on Thursday evening, the
military issued a statement describing the
report of the attack as a product of “the
imagination of those sympathetic to Boko
Haram ways of life.”
“The attention of the Theatre Command
Operation Lafiya Dole was drawn to an online
media publication saying troops of 157 Task
Force Battalion were overran by the Boko
Haram terrorists in Guzamala axis of Borno
state and that several personnel were killed
and several others cannot be accounted for
including the Commanding Officer of the Unit,
the statement signed by Mr. Gusau read.
At no point in our two reports on the matter
did PREMIUM TIMES say the soldiers were
killed. We merely reported that they were
missing.
“The Theatre Command wants to state clearly
that the story is a fabrication from the
imagination of those sympathetic to Boko
Haram ways of life.
“Although the location of 157 Battalion was
attacked last Wednesday and was
subsequently repelled by the gallant troops of
the Unit, the Commanding Officer of the Unit
is in contact with his Brigade Commander.
“However, the unit suffered some casualties
which is normal in military operations. The
affected personnel sustained minor injuries
but no gunshot wound was sustained by the
troops.
“The number of casualty and equipment lost
as being circulated is not correct. The situation
was unnecessarily blown beyond proportion
to give terrorists the type of propaganda they
desired,” he stated.
However, in another statement sent to
PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, spokesman of the
Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, however
admitted the return of the missing soldiers,
lamenting that the army suffered a “slight
setback”.
“Nigerian troops operating in the Northern
Borno State towns of Gudumbali and Kareto
had slight setback within the week. However,
the situation is being stabilized.
“The troops have re-joined their units for
further action.
“The earlier media reports were exaggerated.
The CO (Commanding Officer) is currently
with his soldiers.
“The incidence was just a minor setback,
which is common in military operations,” Mr.
Usman, a colonel, said in a brief statement.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the
commanding officer, alongside a few other
soldiers, emerged from the bush in a van
several hours after the encounter.
It was also gathered that some injured soldiers
were taken to the 7 Division hospital in Borno
State.


www.premiumtimesng.com/news/193559-nigerias-defence-chief-olonishakin-speaks-on-soldiers-who-went-missing-after-battle-with-boko-haram.html

9ja Army I hail thee.




wonders everywhere. Hmmmmmmmmmm,me no get time for una yeye talk.haba !!!!

Na wa.

ify2016:
j

Bokoharam dealt with all of them.

End time Chief of defence staff

Instead of saying dead just say missing



Nigeria we hail thee

They should go into search asap the earlier the better. By now they are still within range

Space bookers association of nigeria.
So mizmycoli was right after all

ify2016:
j

[quote author=Iykopee post=40250307]


Bokoharam dealt with all of them.[/quote

lol

Still economizing the truth as usual..

Gid will judge our leaders for this 'human sacrifice' to a war incited by northerners..

A won oloriburuku..

Seriously, It baffles me how some Id*iots and miscreants were spreading false news without any concrete evidence to back it up. Infact,to the extend of displaying fake pictures to the world to believed their lies. For GOD sake, common sense should have told these Id*iots that these people has families (wives,children,parents,brothers/sister e.tc) and no one has come out and said he/she lost any one,Or you think soldiers don't communicate with there families everyday I am using these medium to caution any one using social media to spread fake news without any concrete evidence should desist from it,If not anything that later come to He/she ways should bear the consequence GOD bless Nigeria!

Lalasticlala can you kindly remove the false picture of dead soldiers in the OP

There is no evidence to suggest that the picture has anything to do with this issue

Reading some bias comments here always baffles me Some Id*iots don't even know how to hold a gun and will be talking about N.A? Mtchewww.....

sh1t....!!!
.
.
bring-back-our-soiders-or-ready-for-war..........99 days for the thief....but one day for Naija..!!! CLICK LIKE IF YOU BELIEVE..!!!

Apc,sahara reporters,tinubu,atiku and co. have all became mute concerning the missing soldiers,if it's gej's tenure all hell would have let loosed by now.

yet some sophisticated Zombies from the south west will defend the Army that no soldiers went missing that it was a tactical ghost mode manoeuvering.


Zombies will they agree?
Zombie ooooo!!! Zombie!!! Zombie no go go if you no tell
am make he dey go.
Buhari: Zombies where are you people?
Zombies: Sai baba,we are here.
Buhari: The thread about the pic of 105 soldiers that l told
you people to tell Nigerians that the pic is those soldiers that
had head on collision with a petrol tanker and were burnt to
ashes,how did it go?
Zombies: Nigerians are wise now oo. It is no business as
usual.They asked us how come their clothes were not
burnt?
Buhari: What did you tell them?
Zombies: We told them to remember the case of Shedrack,
Meshach and Abednego.
Buhari: Punch has come again ooo. Tell Nigerians that you
people (Zombies) are the majority that voted me into
power.That you are not complaining.

MizMyColi:

The height of hypocrisy and political inhumanity is when someone who denied the Chibok girls is suddenly championing for missing soldiers. Shows how tribal silliness has bitten into our polity *shrugs*

That said, the Chief of Army Staff need to come out clean with this. This back and forth is not helping.....I totally understand that some news should not be released so as to counter Boko Hart's propaganda but then, their families and Nigerians deserve to know the truth about this

okay

Mynd44:

The height of hypocrisy and political inhumanity is when someone who denied the Chibok girls is suddenly championing for missing soldiers. Shows how tribal silliness has bitten into our polity *shrugs*

That said, the Chief of Army Staff need to come out clean with this. This back and forth is not helping.....I totally understand that some news should not be released so as to counter Boko Hart's propaganda but then, their families and Nigerians deserve to know the truth about this

@ E pain am....oya shout Sai Baba ...don't worry Buhari's body odour will resurrect the dead soldiers in fullness of time .

Bigprozzie:
One ugly and fat woman told us yesterday that she has evidence that 106 soldiers died

She has since been unable to provide any evidence to back up her claims

Some people wish Nigeria and Nigerians evil. That evil will overtake their own families instead

No shadow of evil will prevail on Nigeria

Show us ur sister's pix lets compare and contrast with the fat ugly woman's pix and see who stand out.

sosanova:

@ E pain am....oya shout Said Baba ...Buhari body odour will resurrect the dead soldiers

That's the thing with you Nigerians.... You seem to think people are divided based on politics forgetting it is actually Nigerians against the ruling class.

It pains me that soldiers are suspected to have been missing and we don't have the truth with people talking and we are hearing multiple stories.

We need the truth

APC ! We are tired of your lies.

Bigprozzie:
One ugly and fat woman told us yesterday that she has evidence that 106 soldiers died

She has since been unable to provide any evidence to back up her claims

Some people wish Nigeria and Nigerians evil. That evil will overtake their own families instead

No shadow of evil will prevail on Nigeria

sophisticated Zombie show us ur own sisters

I can confirm to you, that the soldiers were killed in an ambush, and have not returned as the COD claims. Our inside sources have been able to confirm what actually happened.

We really need a capable hand to lead this country. Buhari is not worth it at all.

sosanova:
The Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi
Olonishakin, on Friday admitted that a
number of Nigerian soldiers went missing
after a fierce gunfight with Boko Haram
insurgents.
Mr. Olonishakin, a general, said the soldiers
went missing due to some ‘operational issue’
during the battle with the terrorists.
”There were operational issues, but as I speak
with you, the troops have re-joined their
units,” the defence chief said in Jos when
journalists asked him the status of the missing
soldiers.
Mr Olonishakin’s confirmation of the incident
came hours after the army, after three
previous self-contradicting statements, also
admitted the incident happened.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively and
authoritatively reported that at least 105
soldiers attached to the 157 battalion went
missing after they came under intense attack
from Boko Haram insurgents in Gudunbali,
Borno State, on Wednesday morning.
Reliable military insiders also told this
newspaper that the terrorists captured a T-72
tank as well as several artillery weapons from
the unit.
The army was initially reluctant to answer
questions about the incident when contacted
by PREMIUM TIMES.
The spokesperson of the army, Sani Usman,
before the story was published, directed us to
forward our enquiries to officials of 7 Division
in Maiduguri.
However, the spokesperson of the 7 Division,
Tukur Gusau, a colonel, also declined to
comment, saying the commander of the
division would address a press conference on
the issue later on Thursday and that it was
improper for him to pre-empt his
commanding officer.
However, after our story ran, Mr. Usman
called our reporter to officially confirm that
the attack indeed took place as reported.
“I want to confirm the incidence at Gudunbali
but the details you provided were not correct.
“The unit attacked is within the area of
responsibility of the MNJTF and troops are
now organising to counteract the attack,” he
said.
However, he did not give contrary details of
the attack to counter PREMIUM TIMES account
of the incident. He merely added that the
theatre of command would provide details
during a press conference in Maiduguri later
on Thursday.
At the press briefing, attended by our reporter
in Maiduguri, the commander of 7 Division,
Yushau Abubakar, also admitted that the
troops were involved in a major clash with
the insurgents. He further stated that several
causalities were recorded on both sides.
“Our troops were attacked in Gudumbali
where we dislodged the Boko Haram there.
We had an attack and we are sorting it out.
But I have not heard anything relating to what
is being reported in the media, he said.
He however became evasive when pressed
further for details of the attack by journalists.
“I have spoken with the CO (commanding
officer) there even this morning and I have
not heard anything of such from him. Yes, we
went to Gudumbali and we were attacked and
we repelled them and we are currently
sorting out the situation. In war anything can
happen and the operation is ongoing.”
However, later on Thursday evening, the
military issued a statement describing the
report of the attack as a product of “the
imagination of those sympathetic to Boko
Haram ways of life.”
“The attention of the Theatre Command
Operation Lafiya Dole was drawn to an online
media publication saying troops of 157 Task
Force Battalion were overran by the Boko
Haram terrorists in Guzamala axis of Borno
state and that several personnel were killed
and several others cannot be accounted for
including the Commanding Officer of the Unit,
the statement signed by Mr. Gusau read.
At no point in our two reports on the matter
did PREMIUM TIMES say the soldiers were
killed. We merely reported that they were
missing.
“The Theatre Command wants to state clearly
that the story is a fabrication from the
imagination of those sympathetic to Boko
Haram ways of life.
“Although the location of 157 Battalion was
attacked last Wednesday and was
subsequently repelled by the gallant troops of
the Unit, the Commanding Officer of the Unit
is in contact with his Brigade Commander.
“However, the unit suffered some casualties
which is normal in military operations. The
affected personnel sustained minor injuries
but no gunshot wound was sustained by the
troops.
“The number of casualty and equipment lost
as being circulated is not correct. The situation
was unnecessarily blown beyond proportion
to give terrorists the type of propaganda they
desired,” he stated.
However, in another statement sent to
PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, spokesman of the
Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, however
admitted the return of the missing soldiers,
lamenting that the army suffered a “slight
setback”.
“Nigerian troops operating in the Northern
Borno State towns of Gudumbali and Kareto
had slight setback within the week. However,
the situation is being stabilized.
“The troops have re-joined their units for
further action.
“The earlier media reports were exaggerated.
The CO (Commanding Officer) is currently
with his soldiers.
“The incidence was just a minor setback,
which is common in military operations,” Mr.
Usman, a colonel, said in a brief statement.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the
commanding officer, alongside a few other
soldiers, emerged from the bush in a van
several hours after the encounter.
It was also gathered that some injured soldiers
were taken to the 7 Division hospital in Borno
State.


www.premiumtimesng.com/news/193559-nigerias-defence-chief-olonishakin-speaks-on-soldiers-who-went-missing-after-battle-with-boko-haram.html

Mynd44...ain't we all hypocritical in things that happen in our polity, one way or another? If not, even the blind and the deaf will now put question marks over the Chibok issue. Seeing how the clamour to find them has suddenly gone down drastically since the people who sponsored and championed for their release are now occupying the seat of power.

Although in your own case, I think you have been balanced in your assessment, so far.

That being said, the military are known to conceal a lot of things from Nigerians. It is in their nature. It didn't start today, it won't end today. The only thing I think is bad about this is that the number is quite weighty. Which is why the APC led government is a bit reluctant to actually confirm this. Still, Nigerians deserve to know the truth!

Bigprozzie:
I will do that when you put up your mother's picture

Pant sniffer

Accursed bastard. I thought ur own sister is better than her. Little did i know that u are a depraved worthless crank, drooling on the cyber space with ur aging madness inherited from ur thievery progenitors.

zicoraads:
Mynd44...ain't we all hypocritical in things that happen in our polity, one way or another? If not, even the blind and the deaf will now put question marks over the Chibok issue. Seeing how the clamour to find them has suddenly gone down drastically since the people who sponsored and championed for their release are now occupying the seat of power.

Although in your own case, I think you have been balanced in your assessment, so far.

That being said, the military are known to conceal a lot of things from Nigerians. It is in their nature. It didn't start today, it won't end today. The only thing I think is bad about this is that the number is quite weighty. Which is why the APC led government is a bit reluctant to actually confirm this. Still, Nigerians deserve to know the truth!

Look, about the Chibok girls, you need to understand that as with any movement, some people will jump on it to use for their own good and they are mostly the ones that are loudest.

The Chibok struggle is still on, I know cos I am part of it. It is us asking the government (which is not about party since it is continuous) to save these poor girls.

As for the military, they can be lying or be truthful hence we don't know who to believe. How can 105/105l6 soldiers be kidnapped? We just don't need to know if it is true, we need to know why and how it happened