At a very solemn ceremony, the Nigerian Army has buried 19 of the 23 soldiers it said were killed by Boko Haram during the November 18 attack on Metele, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
The ceremony held at the military cemetery of the Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, the state capital, the fallen heroes were buried in the presence of their families.
Among those buried on Friday amid tears, prayers and emotional speeches was the Commanding Officer of the 157 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, the battalion attacked.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, was represented at the ceremony by the Chief of Training Operations, Major General Lamidi Adeosun, who warned that fake news could undermine the effort of the Army and dampening the morale of troops.
Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Durkwa was also at the ceremony to commiserate with the grieving families and the army.
Soldiers had occupied Metele in 2017 for clearance operations after they recaptured it from terrorists who had displaced the civilian population from the area.
Although the Nigerian Army was shaken by the attack, it insists it remains determined in its goal of eliminating all threats to the nations territorial integrity.
Credit: channelstv.com
