CO, 114 Task Force Battalion, Lt. Col. BU Umar killed by BHT in Ambush.

CO, 114 Task Force Battalion, Lt. Col. BU Umar killed by BHT in Ambush.

The Nigerian Army has lost another Commanding Officer of a Battalion to Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa State. He is Lt. Colonel BU Umar, Commanding Officer, 114 Task Force Battalion.

Military sources close to Operation Lafiya Dole in the North east, confided in Vanguard that Lt. Colonel Umar was killed in an ambush at Bita in Adamawa state at about 9. 30 am while 5 other soldiers who were with him sustained serious gunshot injuries in the ambush. He was the only person that died.

Before the ambush, it was gathered that Lt. Colonel Umar accompanied by 8 of his soldiers, had carried out clearance and demobilization exercises of IEDS planted by Boko Haram terrorists, using armoured tanks, along the Michika/Madagali axis of Adamawa state following intelligence reports that Boko Haram terrorists were seen around the axis.

It was after the successful demobilization and clearance operations, while the Commanding Officer and his men were returning that they ran into the ambush in Bita.

The death of the officer, coming barely 2 weeks after Lt. Colonel Muhammad Abu Ali, the Commanding Officer, 272 Task Force Battalion was killed in Mallam Fatori by Boko Haram terrorists has prompted speculation in military circles that there are saboteurs giving out information about the operations of the military to the terrorists.

A senior military officer who confirmed the death of Lt. Colonel Umar through ambush carried out by Boko Haram however ruled out sabotage in the attack and killing saying, “Yes the Colonel was killed but we should remember this is a war and in war, there must be casualty. We are killing them but they are trying to say we will not give up”.

“The truth however is that Boko Haram has been degraded. We still need to do serious mop up because they are trying to show that they are still relevant through these isolated and surprise attacks.”

It was later gathered that the authorities at Army headquarters have ordered an investigation into how the Commanding officer was killed in the ambush.

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