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An Unsung But Accomplished Commander From Nigeria's Foreign Combat Missions: Brigadier General (rtd) Olagunsoye Oyinlola
One of the more interesting but unusual times in the early 1990s was that time when the CNN's news output was relayed on the NTA in Lagos. It roughly coincided with a time when Nigerian troops were in Somalia.
At the time,a multinational force led by the Yankees were in Somalia and Nigerian, Pakistani, Italian + other foreign contingents of troops were there for combat duty. It was the post-Barre era and warlords such as Farah Aideed, Osman Ali Ato, Morgan et al roamed free in Somalia
Nigeria jumped into the theatre in Dec 1992.Her contigent was made up of 660 officers and men of the 245 Reece Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Olagunsoye Oyinlola. It was an armoured corps unit but it featured kick-butt infantry potency - a fired-up, tenacious crop they were
Here's a bit on the heroics which they performed
U.S. and Nigerian Troops Halt Somali Shootings
nytimes.com/1993/02/27/wor…
U.S. and Nigerian Troops Halt Somali Shootings
nytimes.com/1993/02/27/wor…
In 2014, Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor of SKY NEWS who witnessed the heroics which Nigerian troops led by Lt Colonel Oyinlola performed in Somalia, had the following to say of the martial qualities of the Nigerian troops that he encountered in Somalia...
QUOTE
"This correspondent saw ordinary Nigerian infanteers stand their ground and fight to the last man, who was captured, when Italian paratroopers broke and ran from an ambush in Mogadishu 21 years ago"
END
"This correspondent saw ordinary Nigerian infanteers stand their ground and fight to the last man, who was captured, when Italian paratroopers broke and ran from an ambush in Mogadishu 21 years ago"
END
Those were Oyinlola's men in words and deeds. Lemme see if I can underline the heroics through photographs
Nigerian troops attack a Somali snipers' nest in Mogadishu, Feb 1993 
A Nigerian soldier engages Somali militiamen in a fire fight at rooftop level in Mogadishu, 1993 (National Geographic photo)
Nigerian troops restrain a Somali sniper after storming his nest in Mogadishu, February 1993
