Soldiers narrate how they survived Boko Haram's Metele attack after running out of ammunition

Terrorists had overrun the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele village in Guzamala local government area of Borno State during an attack on Sunday, November 18, 2018, carting away large cache of arms and military equipment after leaving the base strewn with the corpses of dozens of soldiers.

Even though several reports have indicated that the number of troops casualties might be as high as over 100, the Army has failed to release an official figure even though it dismissed the figures.

According to an account of events narrated by a soldier that survived the attack, troops ran out of ammunition after 40 minutes of trying to repel the attack in a firefight, according to a report by TheCable.

The anonymous soldier told TheCable that the terrorists were well equipped and armed with rocket propelled grenades that made repelling them an impossible task.

He said, "Our commander, Lieutenant Colonel Sakaba told us to prepare for battle after being briefed by one of our soldiers whose duty is to monitor what is coming from distance.

"We engaged the terrorists for over 40 minutes before we ran out of ammunition on that very Sunday. They were well equipped and armed with rocket propelled grenades, more than 12 gun trucks mounted with anti-air craft shooting at us from a long range.

"Some of us ran out of bullets and they overpowered us, we fled but those who could not escape were slaughtered like chicken. Our formation is surrounded by big trenches and barbed wires, which became a trap and made it difficult for them to escape. I watched many of my fellow friends die helplessly in cold blood."

Another soldier who spoke to TheCable lamented that the top Army hierarchy has failed to properly prosecute the war against the insurgency that started nine years ago. He said more than 100 soldiers fled the scene of the attack after the base was overrun by the terrorist group.

He said, "Most of our people dropped their arms and pulled off this dirty uniform. The bodies of our troops littered everywhere but we watched the news and heard army headquarters saying troops repelled the attack.

"The Army chief and other generals only sit in Abuja and lie to Nigerians whereas soldiers are being killed on daily basis. We lack manpower but nobody is telling the president the truth.

"The president should demand the whereabouts of all the soldiers deployed to Operation Last Hold to fight Boko Haram under Major General Abbah Dikko. The answer is, all of them have been crushed by Boko Haram and their new weapons and arms are what the Boko Haram is using to attack us. Please, help us tell Mr President that the service chiefs are just lying to him."

"Our lives don't matter", soldier cries out

Soldiers are exhausted after nine years of conflict. President Muhammadu Buhari, a former general, promised to end the Boko Haram conflict when he came to power in 2015 ece-auto-gen

Another anonymous soldier that spoke to Premium Times last week also lamented that troops are facing serious challenges of inadequate ammunition and motivation to properly fight Boko Haram.

He said soldiers are being killed in the most undignified manner almost on a daily basis because of lack of resources to prosecute the battle, a situation he said has led to loss of morale among troops.

He said, "We need the world to hear how we are being sent to slaughter as though our lives don't matter.

"Some few weeks ago, about 75 of us from our own unit here in Maiduguri were deployed to the front line and it took the grace of God for about 40 of us to return alive.

"When we returned and gave our complaint, we were asked to go back again to Metele, an area near Kangarwa forest, and we have been there for about three weeks now fighting a defensive battle.

"We beg the Nigerian media to help us by echoing out our muffled voices. The children of poor Nigerians have been turned into chicken meant for easy sacrifices by our commanders.

"We are being killed on daily basis as if our lives don't matter. Of course as soldiers we signed to lay down our lives in defence of this country, but certainly not in the manner we are being presented for slaughter without dignity. A soldier should die fitting and not being chased or overpowered.

"Our morale has been dampened so badly - not only because we are not given our due allowances; but for the fact that we have been outgunned by the Boko Haram.

"The situation has gone so bad that it has gotten to a stage that soldiers would be rushing to pack up their camps and flee upon hearing the news that Boko Haram fighters are advancing.

"We have suddenly lost our spirit of launching attacks because of lack of resources to prosecute the battle. Many of us are ready to do our best, but there has been no requisite support from those sending us out there."

Even though President Muhammadu Buhari declared in 2015 that Boko Haram had been technically defeated, the group has carried out several deadly attacks since then, with an increase in the number of attacks on troops happening in 2018.

In light of the criticism that has trailed the killing of the soldiers, President Buhari warned against politicising the incident in a statement on Sunday, November 25. He promised that the circumstances surrounding the Metele attack will be comprehensively addressed.