No Nigerian soldier was killed ISIS in Borno - Military

macfranc007 October 10, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- The Nigerian Military has debunked reports about its soldiers published on some foreign mediums recently

- The reports had suggested that 30 Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by the Islamic State militants (ISIS)

- The military has denied the reports, saying nothing of such happened

The Nigerian Military on Tuesday, October 9, denied reports published in some foreign news websites that over 30 Nigerian soldiers were executed in an ambush on Friday, October 6 by ISIS.

The reports had suggested that the soldiers were ambushed by ISIS fighters helping some Boko Haram members, loyal to them in a recent encounter in northern Borno.

Photos of dead bodies were also posted on the sites as seen by NAIJ.com.

Military denies ambush of Nigerian soldiers by ISIS

Nigerian military operations in the northeast are still ongoing. Photo credit: Telegraph London

A faction of Boko Haram had announced an alliance with ISIS on March 7, 2015, pledging allegiance to the richest and most powerful terrorist group in the world.

Security experts in the country had warned Nigerian security agencies to take the move serious after authorities had dismissed Boko Haram's move as mere propaganda.

In a statement sent to journalists, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, deputy director public relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, said the report is false.

“The attention of the Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole has been drawn to a news article published online by Almardanews.com (AMN), in which one Chris Tomson claimed ISIS had in an ambush against Nigerian Army convoy, executed 30 soldiers on Friday afternoon.

“It is very pertinent to state here, that contrary to the report, there was no such attack or ambush on any convoy of troops of operation Lafiya Dole by ISIS or any other adversary within or outside the theatre of operation.

“The said report is not only false but another media propaganda and an attempt by Boko Haram terrorists to remain relevant and portray seeming potency.

“The graphic images used to support the article has been closely studied and found to lack nexus to any recent operational engagements of operation Lafiya Dole,” Nwachukwu's statement said.

Meanwhile, the troops of 81 Division of the Nigerian army on October 7, launched its 2017 training exercise tagged Operation Crocodile Smile in Lagos and Ogun states.

The southwest exercise is expected to last three weeks and end on October 28.

The spokesman of the division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaolu Daudu, in a statement on Monday, October 9, said the exercise will also avail troops the opportunity to sharpen combat skills in the conduct of land base as well as joint riverine operations.

STREET GIST: Is Operation "Crocodile smile II" necessary? - on NAIJ.com TV