Attack on Oil Workers: Death Toll rises to 48; as corpses of slain soldiers; Huge Setback in Counter-Insurgency fight-Shettima

Against the backdrop of the abduction of oil researchers contracted by NNPC and the subsequent rescue of the explorers by the Army assisted by Civilian Joint Task Force members, eye-witnesses have said that 48 corpses of both soldiers andCJTF as well as support staff were recovered and evacuated to Maiduguri in Thursday.

The 48 persons killed by Boko Haram insurgents during an oil exploration to the Lake Chad Basin, brought to the Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in the Borno State capital, include 18 soldiers, 15 civilians and 9 others including staff of University of Maiduguri and drivers of NNPC.

Witnesses at the UMTH and the Maimalari Army Barrack confirmed to newsmen that the corpses were brought into Maiduguri from the scene of the attack.

Also six persons who were wounded in the attack but escaped to somewhere in Yobe State were later found dead and brought to Maiduguri.

Apart from the wounded soldiers admitted to military hospital in the town, two members of the Civilian JTF were as at Thursday on admission at the UMTH.

Recall that the Army, in a statement on Wednesday by Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, Director of Public Relations, disclosed that all the Oil explorers nd NNPC staff were successfully rescued while one officer and 8 soldiers were killed during the ambush as well as the rescue operation.

He had said, “On receipt of the information of the kidnap, the Brigade mobilized and sent reinforcement, search and rescue party that include the Armed Forces Special Forces and guides that worked and pursued the terrorists throughout the night.

“So far, they have rescued all the NNPC staff and recovered the corpses of the Officer, 8 soldiers and a civilian who have been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital.

“The team recovered 4 vehicles one of which includes a gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, 2 white Hilux taken away from NNPC staff and 1 blue Hilux belonging to CJTF.

“The team also recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition, several spare tyres, many jerry cans of containing Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant, assorted drugs, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making materials, reflective jackets and a Motorola handheld radio, among others. The team also neutralized many of the terrorists.”

Meanwhile, investigation has shown that five lecturers from the University of Maiduguri in the exploration team were killed.

Names of 3 among the dead were given as Dr. Joseph Millitus, Dr. Manaja Uba and Idris Njodi.

A family of one of the deceased (Dr. Joseph Millitus), Daniel Millitus said the family was still in grief over the loss of one of the rising stars of the family.

Daniel Millitus, who is a pastor in one of the parishes of Redeemed Christian Church of God in Maiduguri, said the family is making arrangements for the burial of their son.

Another relative of a slain lecturer (Dr. Manaja Uba), said the family was still in shock and found it difficult to believe that “Manaja was no more.”

She lamented that another relative (Yusuf Ibrahim) also in the exploration team is still missing.

When contacted on phone by journalists, the spokesman of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Danjuma Gambo, said, he was in Abuja and, therefore, has limited access to information on happenings at the institution.

Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, has described the attack on oil exploration workers at the Lake Chad Basin by Boko Haram as a tragic setback in the fight against terrorism in the North East and effort to boost the nation’s economist.

In a statement signed by his spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, the governor said he was still in shock and has not fully recovered after hearing of the tragic attack.

Noting that the news was broken to him while on his journey to United Kingdom alongside some governors to visit ailing President Muhammadu Buhari, Shettima said, “I haven’t been my normal self since I received information on that attack.

“What happened in the first instance was a tragic setback in the fight against Boko Haram and in Nigeria’s effort to expand its economic fortunes.

“I am deeply pained by this incident especially coming at a time when we were beginning to pick up the pieces of our lives.

“Even though the attack should never have happened given the successes recorded by the military and multi-national joint forces since 2015, I nonetheless still deem it necessary to commend the military for re-mobilizing and countering the initial gains of the insurgents.”

Continuing he said, “On behalf of Government and people of Borno State, I mourn and salute the soldiers and our sons in the Civilian JTF who paid the supreme price by giving their lives in this fight.

“‎I commiserate with their families and loved ones. For now, I am still waiting for full details concerning the ambush by the insurgents and counter attack by the military to fully ascertain number and identity of victims. 

“But pending report to me, I mourn and salute any worker or supportive staff who might have lost his or her life in the course of trying to contribute in boosting Nigeria’s economy through exploration activities in the Chad basin. 

“My heart goes to the families of every victim. The Borno State Government will never forsake the survivors of those who lost their lives defending Borno or in service to our country. 

On our part, (and as can be corroborated by all security agencies, youth volunteers and hunters involved in the fight against Boko Haram) the Borno State Government has never lost focus in doing whatever is within its powers in supporting the Nigerian Armed Forces, in funding and equipping the Civil JTF and other volunteers, in mobilizing and passing on intelligence generated from communities and in regularly briefing all those concerned with the fight against Boko Haram”, he said.

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