The Army on Sunday recounted how four soldiers and 10 policemen were killed in an ambush on Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum’s convoy.

It said four civilians were also killed in the ambush by Boko Haram and Islamic State (ISWAP) attackers in Barwati village on Baga route Friday.

This contradicts the 30 casualty figures given by unofficial sources at the weekend. The report said many were injured.

Zulum was not in the convoy during the attack, which has been condemned by Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari.

A military source said the bodies of the four soldiers were found in a bush more than 24 hours after the incident. The source claimed that the whereabouts of another soldier was unknown as of Sunday, The Nation reports.

Zulum, Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the  Progressives Governors Forum(PGF) and former Governor Peter Obi, in separate statements also condemned the attack but hailed the efforts of the military towards the restoration of peace to the state and the entire Northeast.

Zulum, said in spite of the “unfortunate” incident, he was “confident  that peace will return to Borno  State, the Northeast and Nigeria.’’

The Army, according to the statement by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, said: “The convoy of the Borno State Civilians Relocation Committee comprising Armed Forces of Nigeria, Nigeria Police Force and Civilian Joint Task Force was ambushed by members of the BHT/ISWAP at Barwati village on 25 of September 2020.

“The attack/ambush was however successfully repelled by the gallant troops. Sadly, a total of 18 lives including four soldiers, 10 policemen and four civilians were lost during the sad incident.

“Troops on hot the pursuit of the insurgents successfully recovered three vehicles. Two of the vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police that were earlier carted away by the terrorists during the attack are among. Similarly, one BHT gun truck was also captured.

“The casualties recorded were as a result of the explosion from the multiple IEDs planted on the road by the terrorists.

“The Nigerian Army has since deployed bomb and IED disposal teams to ensure effective route scanning and clearance to forestall future occurrence.”

An undeterred Zulum said the “unfortunate incident” would not deter his plan to ensure the relocation of all IDPs to their ancestral homes.

He praised the fighting spirit of the security operatives in the Northeast and boasted that “we are sure that we are good to go”  on the resettlement of  some of the Internally Displaced persons in the state.