Monday March 9, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, has denied reports that an officer and 39 soldiers were killed in the Boko Haram attacks on Ngoshe, Borno State, which claimed over 100 lives on Tuesday.
Lt-Gen. Shuaibu made the clarification on Saturday during a one-day official visit to assess damage to lives, vehicles, and equipment at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri.
He said: “The Sahara Reporters’ claim of 40 soldiers killed in Ngoshe is false.” He noted that the report relied largely on what he described as “unverified sources from other security agencies in the state.”
The CoAS explained that during a three-hour closed-door meeting at the Theatre Command and Control Centre, it was confirmed that only a few soldiers, along with their commander, lost their lives while defending the border community with Cameroon.
Shuaibu lamented that the report presented a distorted account of events, failing to acknowledge the gallantry of troops who bravely defended four other communities against coordinated terrorist assaults last week.
He added that remnants of Boko Haram, previously dislodged from the Sambisa Forest, had launched coordinated night attacks on Ngoshe, Konduga, Mainok, and Jakana.
“Our troops responded swiftly and fought gallantly to repel the terrorists and defend the affected communities,” Shuaibu said, noting that over 50 terrorists were neutralized during the operations.
While acknowledging the deaths of a Commanding Officer and some soldiers, the CoAS emphasized that their actions prevented further devastation to lives, vehicles, and equipment. “Our troops were not overrun, as falsely reported. They engaged terrorists from multiple fronts to protect civilians and restore normalcy,” he said.
He explained that the terrorists employed indiscriminate explosives and heavy night gunfire, which regrettably caused civilian casualties, as many residents were caught in the crossfire.
Lt-Gen. Shuaibu visited the theatre of operations in Maiduguri to meet troops and commanders, reassess the operational situation, and reinforce counter-terrorism measures. He directed the immediate deployment of additional troops and equipment to sustain pressure on fleeing terrorists.
“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in decisively confronting terrorists and ensuring such attacks are thwarted,” he said, adding that coordinated ground and air operations are ongoing to dismantle terrorist elements and rescue abducted civilians.
The public has been urged to disregard exaggerated and misleading reports aimed at undermining the morale of troops risking their lives to defend the nation.
(The GUARDIAN)