The troops of the Nigerian Army repelled an ambush by the Boko Haram insurgents on Sunday night.

Investigations revealed that the insurgents ambushed the troops while they were on their way to Sambisa Forest to reinforce military presence in the area.

An intelligence personnel, who confided in our correspondent, said that the soldiers killed an unspecified number of the insurgents in a gun duel.

It was learnt that the troops, who belong to the 81 Battalion of the Nigerians Army, Ibadan, were ordered to move from their location in Sector 8, Maiduguri, when they ran into the ambush.

The source said that a soldier died in the attack while three others who were injured had been rushed to a hospital in Maiduguri for treatment.

“The terrorists attacked our men but they were repelled. I can’t give the exact number of those killed but I can tell you that many of the terrorists were killed.

“On the side of the military, we lost one soldier. The three other injured soldiers have been rushed to the hospital in Maiduguri where they are being treated,” the source said.

When our correspondent contacted the Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, he neither confirmed nor denied the attack.

Olukolade said that some of the Boko Haram members fleeing from the ongoing onslaught might want to carry out some mischievous acts which the military had the capacity to respond to in a decisive manner.

He said, “Much as I don’t want to confirm or deny what you are asking, let me say that those terrorists on flight might want to do mischief.

“However, let me say that the military has the capacity to deal decisively with such elements.”