Most of the missing soldiers have returned, says army

The Nigerian army on Wednesday said that a “sizeable number” of the 39 soldiers declared missing after last week suspected Boko Haram attack in the border town of Gashigar in Borno state, had returned.

Lucky Irabor, theater commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, said this while briefing reporters in Maiduguri, the state capital.

“It is true that about 39 soldiers were declared missing,” he said.

“I want to inform you that a sizeable number of our soldiers had returned to base.”

He, however, admitted that a few soldiers were yet to be found.

“I think it is only a handful that have not been found,” he said, declining to state their exact number.

He said the military was engaged in an ongoing operation to uproot insurgents from the area.

“Operations are ongoing in the area,” he said.

“I think that we will give you the details in due course.”

He added that the military was focused on rescuing the remaining Chibok girls and all those in captivity.

“We have a task before us that anyone held by the Boko Haram terrorists must be rescued,” he said.

” We will do everything possible to rescue them.”