Army denies killing of 25 soldiers by Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army has denied reports claiming that 25 soldiers were killed in an ambush by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state.

There were reports that the insurgents, on Saturday morning, opened fire on a military convoy evacuating people from a village in Borno state.

It was said that the villagers were reportedly occupying about 50 vehicles.

“They ambushed and surrounded the vehicles of both the soldiers and the civilians and opened fire on them,” a member of the civilian joint task force (JTF) had reportedly said.

READ ALSO: NAF destroy ISWAP fighters’ hideout in Borno

“They exchanged fire for some minutes before the Boko Haram militants overpowered the soldiers.”

However, the director, army public relations (PRO), Sagir Musa, in a statement in Maiduguri on Sunday, dismissed the report as “rumour and fake”.

He said, “Contrary to rumour and fake news circulating, there was no attack on any of our troops’ locations at Sabon Gari or any other locations in Borno State,” he said.

“I have spoken with the Special Force Commander in Damboa and he confirmed to me that there was nothing of such in Damboa or any of his locations as at Friday) and Saturday.”

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