The Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, has lost his cousin in what the military described as one of the fiercest battles with Boko Haram terrorists.

The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Leo Irabor, disclosed this during a media briefing on Friday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

He disclosed that the sad incident took place when troops of Operation Lafiya Dole engaged Boko Haram terrorists in what he described as one of the fiercest battles at Kangarwa in Borno State.

Commiserating with the Chief of Defence Staff on the loss of his cousin, whose name was not disclosed, Gen. Irabor said: “I wish to use this medium to indicate that a huge price is being paid by officers and soldiers of Operation Lafiya Dole.

“Our hearts go out to all the families of our colleagues who have paid the supreme price. We shall liberate the entire North­East from the claws of terrorism and insurgency as our respect to the heroic efforts of these departed colleagues.”

Commenting on the fate of the troops that ran into a major ambush by the insurgents at Gongon village, general area of Alagarno, also in Borno State, the Theatre Commander confirmed that three officers, including the Commanding Officer, and 16 soldiers were missing in action. He also confirmed that 16 soldiers and three Civilian JTF members were wounded during the battle.

It was, however, not all lamentation as Gen. Irabor disclosed that troops have killed over 78 terrorists in recent coordinated sundry clearance operations intended to mop up remnants of the insurgents in the North-East.