Several soldiers were feared killed in a gun duel that lasted many hours between Boko Haram insurgents and Nigerian soldiers who made attempt to free Gwoza local government which was captured by the insurgents about four days ago, local and security sources said.
The operation to free Gwoza which was coordinated by the Nigerian Army 213 battalion, Operation Task Force Mike and 234 battalion, based in Mubi, Adamawa State, met a stiff resistance by the insurgents thereby making the soldiers to suffer many casualties and were forced to make a retreat as the insurgents proved insurmountable.
The attempt to free Gwoza came shortly after Damboa, another town in Borno State was freed by a combined operation involving the Nigerian air force and the Nigerian army.
The soldiers were reported to have been led into the battle byLieutenant Bayedi Martins and Lt. Colonel Agu of the 234 Battalion, formerly Special Operations Battalion (SOB), but their attempt to
rescue the town was thwarted as the insurgents proved impregnable, a security source said.
“When the soldiers beat a retreat, the insurgents gave them a hotchase, catch up with them, killed many and seized one of their tanks as well as the driver of the tank.
“They then called the soldier’s wife and informed her that her husband was in captivity,’’ revealed a top security source.
The defeat suffered by the Nigerian soldiers has finally sealed hopes that Gwoza may be freed any time soon, as the insurgents seem to have gained strength as they allegedly seized many weapons from the soldiers including a military tank.
The Boko Haram insurgents took over Gwoza in a ferocious attack which led to the dislodgement of all security apparatus in the local government as they killed more than 100 civilians and set many houses ablaze.
Local sources in Madagali said that following the encounter, some 30 Hilux pick up vans were used to bring back the wounded and dead soldiers to Mubi in Adamawa State.
Army sources confirmed that Lt. Col Agu was yet to be found since the operation was carried out just as they said that about three military alpha jets have been deployed to the area to assist in the rescue of soldiers who might be trapped in mountains surrounding Gwoza.