According to sources in the know, families of the affected soldiers have been asked to forward information of their next of kin to the authorities so that their benefits could be paid to them.

The declaration was contained in a notice sent on November 20, by M. Jimoh, the new Commander of the 145 Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Damasak, Borno State.

According to a report published by an online newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, “Jimoh, a lieutenant colonel, sent the signal to the 145 Battalion rear base in Ohafia, Abia State, and copied the Army 7 Division Headquarters in Maiduguri and 82 Division Garrison in Enugu.

“Also copied were 5 Battalion in Kano; 20 Battalion in Serti, Taraba State; 103 Battalion in Enugu and 119 Battalion in Malam Fatori, Borno State.

“Also in receipt of the signal were 143 Infantry Battalion for special forces in Borno State; 144 Battalion in Asa, Abia State; and 146 Battalion in Calabar.”

“Each of the battalions copied in the signal had soldiers that were part of the 83 missing.”

The newspaper also reported that Jimoh, the new commander of the 145 Task Force Battalion, was recently appointed to replace K. Yusuf, a lieutenant colonel who is among the missing soldiers.

There had been reports on how 83 Nigerian soldiers went missing after the boko haram terrorists dislodged them from their positions.

The reports at the time had it that several of the troops were feared drowned in the River Yobe while 22 others were rescued by soldiers of neighbouring Niger republic.

The troops were part of ‘Operation Gama Aiki’ which is aimed at clearing out insurgents lurking around the border areas between Nigeria and Niger and Chad aimed at displacing insurgents hibernating around the Nigerian border with Niger and Chad.

Several days after the attack, spokesman for the Army, Sani Usman, insisted that the report was not true.