19 Nigerian soldiers missing after Boko Haram ambush

Nineteen soldiers were missing after they were ambushed by Islamist militants group Boko Haram in the north-east of Nigeria.

The Nigerian army announced on Friday that the soldiers went missing on Thursday while returning from a raid on a Boko Haram base at Alagarno in Yobe State.

“Our soldiers returned to their base when they fell into an ambush by terrorists,” General Lucky Irabor told the media.

“Currently there are three officers and 16 soldiers missing. 16 other soldiers and three civilian militia helping the army fight Boko Haram were also wounded,” he added.

The soldiers had killed many assailants, according to the general who did not give a precise number. He said they recovered from the Boko Haram camp heavy weapons including a truck with an anti-aircraft missile.

The north-eastern Nigeria is the center of Boko Haram attacks killing at least 20,000 people and rendering 2.6 million people homeless since 2009.