Military Repels Fresh Boko Haram Attacks in Pulka, Bitta Towns

•Kills 18 terrorists, recovers several items, three soldiers injured
•Army loses General in road accident

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The troops of 26 and 28 Task Force Brigades on Tuesday repelled an early morning daring attack by fleeing Boko Haram terrorists on military locations at Pulka  and Bitta on the fringes of the Sambisa forest in Borno State.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, said the troops of 114 Task Force Battalion were  yesterday attacked by the Boko Haram terrorists.
According Usman, the Nigerian troops came under three-pronged attack by terrorists fanning out of Sambisa forest from Damboa, Tokumbere and Pulka axis. 

He said that “two Boko Haram insurgents paid for their atrocities with their lives while several others sustained gun shot injuries,” at the end of the fighting.
“The fate that befell those that attacked Pulka was more dreadful. 

“The ever ready and vigilant troops rose to the occasion by repelling the attacks and  killing all the 16 attackers and captured one of them alive during the exploitation,” he added.

The army spokesman said that the  troops also recovered  11 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs),  Browning Machine Gun (BMG) and two Toyota  Hilux vehicles.

He listed other items recovered to include a 60mm Mortar tube, seven  boxes of 12.7mm  ammunition and a belt of 12.7mm ammunition.
Usman noted that there were no casualty on the side of the troops except for three soldiers that sustained minor injuries.

He promised that the “troops remained on maximum alert and are equally busy consolidating and continuing with their clearance operations with high morale.”
In another development, the  Nigerian Army has confirmed the death of Chief of Training and Operations of the Army, Major General Yushau Mahmood Abubakar in a road accident along Maiduguri-Damaturu Road yesterday.
He was the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole before his recent deployment to Army Headquarters, Abuja.

The road accident also involved the Acting General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Brigadier General MSA Aliyu who sustained some injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.