The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that troops who returned from Cameroon were on Tuesday addressed by the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Major General Zaruwa, as they embark on another mission in the Counter Terrorism campaign.

All the soldiers are in high spirit with all their weapons and equipment intact.

The Nigerian Defence headquarters on Monday clarified issues concerning Nigerian troops who found themselves in Cameroon during a fierce battle with terrorists.

The BBC, quoting Cameroon’s army, said that about 480 Nigerian soldiers fled into Cameroon following fierce fighting with Boko Haram militants.

Cameroon’s Army spokesman, Lt Col Didier Badjek, told the BBC that the soldiers had been disarmed and were being accommodated in schools.

The Nigerian soldiers are currently in the Cameroonian town of Maroua, about 80km (50 miles) from the Nigerian border, Lt Col Badjek told the BBC on Monday.

“Tactical Manoeuvre”

However, in a post on its website on Monday, the Defence headquarters said: “The Nigerian troops that were found in Cameroun was as a result of a sustained battle between the troops and the terrorists around the borders with Cameroun which saw the Nigerian troops charging through the borders in a tactical manoeuvre.

“Eventually they found themselves on Cameroonian soil. Being allies the normal protocol of managing such incident demanded that the troops submit their weapons in order to assure the friendly country that they were not on a hostile mission.

“Following necessary discussions between Nigerian and Cameroonian military authorities, the issues have been sorted out. Subsequently, the troops are on their way back to join their unit in Nigeria”.