It is an especially sad day for the Nigerian Army. It’s most
efficient fighter has died in battle after surviving deadly onslaughts and
dodging bullets for years.
Muhammed Abu-Ali, a lieutenant colonel, died in an ambush laid
for his troops by the terrorist Boko Haram sect, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
Fourteen Boko Haram insurgents and four other soldiers died in
the attack, the army said.
Mr. Abu Ali, commanding officer of 272 Tank Battalion, is
reputed as the army’s bravest commander and fighter in Nigeria’s ongoing
anti-terrorism war.
Last year, he bagged accelerated promotion for his gallantry and
efficiency on the battlefield.
Highly-placed military officials with knowledge of the battle
that claimed the officer and his colleagues informed this newspaper of the
development.
One of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity,
said the attack occurred at Mallam Fatori, a major Boko Haram stronghold on the
northernmost tip of Borno State, on Friday evening.
The source said Mr. Abu-Ali was hit by several bullets as he
tried to reinforce troops to repel an ongoing attack in the town.
A few hours earlier, Boko Haram launched a sustained attack on
the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.
As the battled raged, Mr. Ali recognised an immediate need for
reinforcement. But his team was met by another group of terrorists while making
its way back to the battlefront.
Mr. Ali was killed in the firefight that ensued, the source said
The attack also left six other soldiers dead, while Boko Haram
lost 14 of its members.
Another source told PREMIUM TIMES that the timing of the attack
makes it highly probable that an insider might have provided Boko Haram with
intelligence on troops movement.
The source said the Army leadership on Thursday morning withdrew
one officer and 49 combatants from Mallam Fatori.
The terrorists struck shortly after the troops withdrew.
“This indicates that the terrorists possibly had advance
information of the reduction in the number of troops on the frontline around
there,” the source said.
The spokesman of the Nigeria Army, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman,
who confirmed the incident said four other soldiers also sustained injury
during the fight.
PREMIUM TIMES recalls that, in September 9, 2015, Mr. Abu-Ali
was granted
accelerated promotion by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, for
his “courage, bravery and exceptional performance.”
An expert in handling armour tanks, Mr. Abu-Ali’s men dubbed him
the ‘panacea of Boko Haram’ due to his unmatched bravery in uprooting
terrorists.
He was also recognised for the critical roles he played in
taking out Boko Haram from many of its strongholds across the Northeast.
The Army spokesman, Sani Usman, a colonel, described him as
“hero of our time” during the ceremony which took place in Borno State.
It is not immediately clear if his family has been informed
about the development, which has plunged troops on the battlefield into a
weekend of mourning, sources said.
The intensity of Boko Haram activities across the beleaguered
Northeast has taken an audacious dimension in recent weeks, coming after
several months of relative success by the Nigerian troops and their West
African counterparts.
A fortnight ago, scores of
Nigerians troops went missing in a similarly ruthless assault
by Boko Haram. The attack also claimed an
unknown number of troops while wounding about 22 others.
As of Saturday afternoon, the soldiers, about 83 in number, are
still missing in action, PREMIUM TIMES understands.
Source: PREMUIM TIMES
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