President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday expressed “profound grief and sorrow’’ over loss of 45 soldiers who were ambushed by terrorists in Gorgi Village, Borno State.

The President made his feelings known in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja.

He said: “sacrifices of our gallant patriots cannot be quantified, and their sacrifices cannot go in vain,’’ and commiserated with their families and those that sustained injuries.

According to President Buhari, the death of every soldier causes deep pains because I know what it means to be a soldier, and fully understands the extreme risks associated with the profession.

He said, “despite the tragedies and incidents, we cannot allow anarchists and mass murderers to hold the country hostage.’’

The President appealed to the military “not to allow the incident to affect their morale’’.

He assured that his administration would continue to motivate and equip them adequately in order to cope with the complex challenges of unconventional warfare.

The presidential aide revealed that the Nigerian Army has since dispatched a team to assess the situation and report back to the government.(NAN)