The Nigerian Army has intensified the search for three officers, 15 soldiers and two civilians still missing following the showdown with Boko Haram insurgents in northern Borno State.

Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, disclosed this on Friday to journalists in Maiduguri, the state capital.

He said that a search party deployed to the area has already established contact with six soldiers and four members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

Commanding Officer of the Operation is among those still missing in action, as well as unspecified number of members of the civilian JTF.

According to the Theatre Commander, the soldiers disappeared after engaging the bandits in what appears to be a reinforcement mission for their dislodged collaborators in a town called Gongon.

The Army had earlier said that a number of its troops were missing after they ran into an ambush by the dreaded terrorists.

In a statement, the Army explained that the attack occurred while the troops were returning to their defensive locations after operations to clear remnants of the insurgents at Guro Gongon village and its environs.

It added that the operation led to the destruction of the terrorists’ makeshift camps and recovery of various weapons including an anti-aircraft gun, an armoured personnel carrier, as well as motorcycles used by the militants.

•Adapted from a Channels TV report. Photo shows troops on duty against Boko Haram in Borno.