This is a heavy loss. I'm really sad about this but why would these people agree on a strategy to attack and a group changes its mind midway into the attack? This is similar to what happened in the case of the civilian JTF that Boko boys ambushed some weeks ago. Please , I don't want to read news like this again o. RIP brave soldiers.

Lord Jesussss!!!
An Entire Battalion Wiped Out just Like That??

God Forbid!!
But come to think of it! Even if the Air strike was called off, does it mean 105 TRAINED INFANTRYMEN cannot Hold their ground against Ragtags for Hours until Reinforcement Comes From HQTRS?
Why didn't the Field Commanders adopt a Defensive Stance and Conduct an Orderly Retreat to save the men??

For Christsake, is this the Same Nigerian Army whose Platoons Held their own under Ambush in Deep Liberian Jungles??

Its either some of the Soldiers turned their Weapons on their Comrades on the Battlefied, or the figures are greatly exaggerated or they went into the fray without bullets or they panicked and fled in disarray or sumtin...I don't know!
I'm too angry to think straight!
R.I.P to the Dead!

GEJ: Reshuffle your Service Chiefs or go down in Infamy!

It is unfortunate that the Nigeria Army of today is still very much like the Nigeria Army that fought the Biafran war. This ambush sounds very much like the ambushes of the Biafran war. Why is it that any time the Nigeria Army does not have overwhelming superiority of arms, there is a disaster. Just because air superiority was not employed, disaster immediately happened. Can't the Nigeria Army fight a battle in which they are disadvantaged? The military authorities need to work on this.

My father was a Biafran soldier. One day, at Nkpor sector, he was among a platoon sent to reinforce another platoon that had been badly pressed by the enemy. They got to the people they were to reinforce in the bush, but they were so psychologically devastated that they couldn't even speak when they were asked the location of the enemy; they only motioned with their hands. My father and his colleagues began to advance towards the trench the other people evacuated from and the enemy suddenly opened fire massively on them. The trench was a few metres away. They dove and rolled into the trench before returning fire. Even though the availability of a nearby trench could be said to be their saviour, their split-second response in the face of extreme adversity was actually the number one saviour. That is why he is alive to tell the story

The possibility is very doubtful...may be is nt Nigeria soldiers,even for war that 1 no fit happen

These soldiers are from some families.

Pls for the love of God,if some of you have nothing to say,you guys should just shut up! Do you guys know the topography of borno state? Are you guys aware that the insurgents have their camps built in forests where you have caves,mountains and rocks? Do you guys think you have more intellectual know-how than military authorities who decided to go for ariel bombardment before ground troops go in for the clean up? I guess you guys watch too many movies and can't differentiate between fiction and reality. This is nothing but sabotage from boko haram informants in the NA. The officer who canceled the ariel bombardment should not just be court martialled,he should be made to face death by firing squad. There can be no reasonable reason to put a stop to the ariel bombardments,knowing fully well that lives of 100 combatants are on the line. This is pure sabotage;not necessarily incompetence on the side of the military. But as usual,we always find a way to politicise things in Nigeria. May the souls of these great combatants,rest in perfect peace.

Idoma Likita: Lord Jesussss!!!
An Entire Battalion Wiped Out just Like That??

God Forbid!!
But come to think of it! Even if the Air strike was called off, does it mean 105 TRAINED INFANTRYMEN cannot Hold their ground against Ragtags for Hours until Reinforcement Comes From HQTRS?
Why didn't the Field Commanders adopt a Defensive Stance and Conduct an Orderly Retreat to save the men??

For Christsake, is this the Same Nigerian Army whose Platoons Held their own under Ambush in Deep Liberian Jungles??

Its either some of the Soldiers turned their Weapons on their Comrades on the Battlefied, or the figures are greatly exaggerated or they went into the fray without bullets or they panicked and fled in disarray or sumtin...I don't know!
I'm too angry to think straight!
R.I.P to the Dead!

GEJ: Reshuffle your Service Chiefs or go down in Infamy!

I think the element of surprise was completely lost. Infact seems like they were expected and the hunter became the hunted. Don't forget also that the locals had better knowledge of the terrain .

Mistakes could be costly.A doctor's mistake, a pilot's mistake, a soldier's mistake or even a factory machine operator could cost men their lives.No one is above mistake.It only reminded me of some of my late friends who died in the Sierra lone and Liberian wars.

Something just does nt add up here or there is more to dis matter dan we hav heard. U mean 105 Nigerian soldiers can nt hold their ground witout air cover? If dis is true den d army has a lot of wok to do. A good army shld b able to hold ground even wen in disadvantage position.

Very sad!!

However, even without air cover and let's say they were even compromised - 100 men should still be able to dig in and fortify their position(s). Unless the BH were in their thousands. This is definitely more than a loss, this is a disaster for the Nigerian army. Their methods and professionalism have always been questionable, but you can't the men and women of the Nigerian armed forces who risk their lives to protect the country - the blame is solely on the system and how every facet of Nigeria is basically useless.

R.I.P to the brave ones!

Isnt 100+ soldiers too much for a recon mission intended to gather intel on the enemy?


Anyway, this incident is a clear example of intel failure on the part of military's heirachy, and the need to provide our men with additional assets like UAVs, sat recon photos, and other SIGINT platforms (along with HUMINT assets). But, just to play the devil's advocate, maybe tge officer behind the recall of the combat air support, maybe he made the call to prevent unnecessary collateral damage.


All the same, RIP to our fallen warriors.

ocelot2006: Isnt 100+ soldiers too much for a recon mission intended to gather intel on the enemy?

Anyway, this incident is a clear example of intel failure on the part of military's heirachy, and the need to provide our men with additional assets like UAVs, sat recon photos, and other SIGINT platforms (along with HUMINT assets). But, just to play the devil's advocate, maybe tge officer behind the recall of the combat air support, maybe he made the call to prevent unnecessary collateral damage.

All the same, RIP to our fallen warriors.

Are you telling me that without the bolded, the men and women of the Nigerian army can't fight their way out of an ambush? How about battles like: urban warfare and counter-insurgency - where all these assets are next to useless? These guys need proper training, to be honest.

Come on now, the militants destroyed about two platoons of the naija army - and almost a company. Someone definitely needs to be sacked!

Oh Lord protect 13Volts oooooooo....so sad a news, DHQ needs to investigate and summon the commander...RIP to the fallen heroes
.....Hope the news it truie sha.

telexfree1:

I think the element of surprise was completely lost. Infact seems like they were expected and the hunter became the hunted. Don't forget also that the locals had better knowledge of the terrain .

Dude, the element of surprise isn't applicable in every scenario, neither is it the sole determinant of combat outcome!
I don't know much about combat, but I know resilience, good battle order and quick response help a lot!
Nobody knows the condition of battlefield sha, lemme not disrespect d dead further!
I am sooooo pained by this waste of life!
God dey!

bloggernaija:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHwVZWHeX0o

Click like if you think this is how we appear before God
Hiding to commit sin, while in plain view

shymexx: Very sad!!

However, even without air cover and let's say they were even compromised - 100 men should still be able to dig in and fortify their position(s). Unless the BH were in their thousands. This is definitely more than a loss, this is a disaster for the Nigerian army. Their methods and professionalism have always been questionable, but you can't the men and women of the Nigerian armed forces who risk their lives to protect the country - the blame is solely on the system and how every facet of Nigeria is basically useless.

R.I.P to the brave ones!

I'm not trying to say that the army has a water-tight training doctrine, but there's a remarkable change in their SOP from standard infantry tactics gained from battles fought and won in past engagements to thise of seasoned counterinsurgency and counter-terror warriors. This sad incident is clearly a failure of intelligence. A smaller and more nimble recon team should've been left in place stealthily gather intel on enemy troop strength and movement, and possible patrol routes. Better still, one of our UAVs shouldve been deployed on station to keep an eye on our boys and with the ground station radioing in possible ambush points to teams/platoons on the ground.

dis is soo sad. God pls help nigeria

Hope the news is not true.

shymexx:

Are you telling me that without the bolded, the men and women of the Nigerian army can't fight their way out of an ambush? How about battles like: urban warfare and counter-insurgency - where all these assets are next to useless? These guys need proper training, to be honest.

Come on now, the militants destroyed about two platoons of the naija army - and almost a company. Someone definitely needs to be sacked!

I'm not trying to say our boys can't fight their way through an ambush. Afterall, they've fought through far worse against numerically superior enemies. And yes, these assets may not really be of much use in MOUT operations. Still, the intel gathered from initial flights can be used to plan out patrols and other COIN ops before troops are deployed. In places like Iraq and Afghanistan, UAVs have been used to equally detect ambushes and insurgents planting IEDs on possible routes.

If this a through story, many nigeria guys and ladys will not like to join the army any longer. Because there service is not guaranty or may be they will be paying them like the foot ballers. But I can join soldier even if they will pay me one million anually,I prefer to drink garri.

Volt are you dead? Reply abeg

ocelot2006:

I'm not trying to say that the army has a water-tight training doctrine, but there's a remarkable change in their SOP from standard infantry tactics gained from battles fought and won in past engagements to thise of seasoned counterinsurgency and counter-terror warriors. This sad incident is clearly a failure of intelligence. A smaller and more nimble recon team should've been left in place stealthily gather intel on enemy troop strength and movement, and possible patrol routes. Better still, one of our UAVs shouldve been deployed on station to keep an eye on our boys and with the ground station radioing in possible ambush points to teams/platoons on the ground.

Fair enough. However, this wasn't a recon mission (according to the article), they were preparing for attack on the BH camp when the ambush happened. So it was a surprise attack/ambush and I doubt anyone would be able to deploy a UAV in that scenario. The onus was on them to fight their way out of it, while calling for reinforcements.

I don't know and I'm not trying to blame the dead people for what happened, since I don't know what weapons the BH guys had and the total number of jihadists who laid the ambush - however how two platoons of soldiers were completely destroyed is definitely a mystery to me.

Something similar also happened to the Nigerian army in Darfur when the supporter of APC militants ambushed their base. We definitely need to start asking questions, to be honest.

This story does not add up!
The reconaissance troop that saw the hide-out should have left scouts on the ground to provide live intel to inform battle commanders about the possible boko movement.
I suspect the boko boys stationed their scouts and reported the sighting of the reconaissance tr00ps and reported back. This might have led them to ambush the assault team.
RIP Comrades at arm- from your brothers in Ghana.

Idoma Likita: Lord Jesussss!!!
An Entire Battalion Wiped Out just Like That??

God Forbid!!
But come to think of it! Even if the Air strike was called off, does it mean 105 TRAINED INFANTRYMEN cannot Hold their ground against Ragtags for Hours until Reinforcement Comes From HQTRS?
Why didn't the Field Commanders adopt a Defensive Stance and Conduct an Orderly Retreat to save the men??

For Christsake, is this the Same Nigerian Army whose Platoons Held their own under Ambush in Deep Liberian Jungles??

Its either some of the Soldiers turned their Weapons on their Comrades on the Battlefied, or the figures are greatly exaggerated or they went into the fray without bullets or they panicked and fled in disarray or sumtin...I don't know!
I'm too angry to think straight!
R.I.P to the Dead!

GEJ: Reshuffle your Service Chiefs or go down in Infamy!

Never underestimate the element of suprise, the BH boys per their succeces are n0 minnows, they executed a perfect ambush With heavy assault rifles, they clearly did not wish to take prisoners.

There's an insider, I think somebody is playing a spy for d Bh...........! Nigerians should stop arresting this BH but kill dem all! Buharri, all u said is @work now!

eyenCalabar: 13Volt in my mind now!

I was thinking the same thing.

oyedun82: u ar rite oo, may God guide nd protect him to nairaland safely

Amen and the rest Amen.

Geez..this is unbelievable.105 men all gone,wea d bh boiz in dea thousands or what??r.i.p 2 d dead

Konmight: Oh Lord protect 13Volts oooooooo....so sad a news, DHQ needs to investigate and summon the commander...RIP to the fallen heroes
.....Hope the news it truie sha.

Amin summa amin.

shymexx:

Fair enough. However, this wasn't a recon mission (according to the article), they were preparing for attack on the BH camp when the ambush happened. So it was a surprise attack/ambush and I doubt anyone would be able to deploy a UAV in that scenario. The onus was on them to fight their way out of it, while calling for reinforcements.

I don't know and I'm not trying to blame the dead people for what happened, since I don't know what weapons the BH guys had and the total number of jihadists who laid the ambush - however how two platoons of soldiers were completely destroyed is definitely a mystery to me.

Something similar also happened to the Nigerian army in Darfur when the supporter of APC militants ambushed their base. We definitely need to start asking questions, to be honest.

True. But the article clearly said about 100 soldiers were initially deployed on recon mission to gather intel on BH before they returned to base to call for air strikes that will precede a ground assault. Well, in my humble opinion, I think thats were that unit bumbled. First of all, that recon unit was TOO LARGE for that initial operTion. A 2-4 man team wouldve been ideal. And then there was the intel and obvious communucation failure, and the witgdrawal of CAS.

1st thing 1st
Am neither moved nor surprised as the whole Boko Haram saga its unfortunately, effort by a corrupt government to cover its co-travellers lootin the state dry.
The genesis of the crisis was Borno corruption mismanaged by the Abuja gang of thieves and long as another set of thieves are being pushed to do the dirty job that is how they will continue to sell out .
In the late 70's to the early 80's there were the Maitetsine ,the Bulumkutu etc the service chief then are they all dead am not too sure , what is going on up north will consume more men because the government is a corrupt one and only lying .
What you are having is a huge ATM machine the commanders are only using the dumbness of jonathan to milk the country so if 100 die I will shed no tears because unlike many other Nigerians I know its all deciet , if and only if the goveenment feel they have made enough money they will seek and listen to advice you dont sacrifies your people for money making !!!
Earlier today it was Narawa soldiers runing abandoning a check point now this one is up.
When the government is ready they will tell the nation for am not decieved. its a scam .