A young soldier Ifeanyi Sunday and two others died reportedly on Wednesday August 14, when troops of Operation Lafiya Dole averted a Boko Haram attack on Molai village in Borno State.
According to a friend of the slain soldier, they had chatted on Tuesday August 13 and on the said day he was killed.
“It is very difficult for me to believe we just chatted on Tuesday and even yesterday. I don’t know it will be the last one. God protect the living heroes and may the souls of Falling one rest in peace. Anyi may Your Soul rest in peace .” he wrote.
The troops engaged the insurgents in a gunfight on Wednesday night in Mammanti, a deserted village near Maiduguri.
The insurgents who came in large numbers were on their way to attack Molai, a settlement barely two kilometres away from the capital city before the gun duel broke out.
Molai residents were thrown in panic as sounds of explosions and ammunitions in the dead of the night were heard even in some parts of Maiduguri where the people found them disturbing.
Soldiers around Mammanti who had been on red alert had, however, faced the assailants squarely, foiling their plans to infiltrate Molai village or go beyond.
The gun battle which begun at about 10pm is said to have lasted till 2:30am on Thursday when the last gunshot was heard.
In other news, suspected killers of a Catholic Church Priest, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu have been arrested, Enugu State Police command confirmed on Friday.