Boko Haram’s drive to expand its
caliphate suffered a major setback on Monday as 59 of its members were
killed by soldiers while trying to capture Bama, one of the largest
towns in Borno State.
Investigations revealed that over 200
insurgents, who were dressed in military camouflage, stormed Bama in a
convoy of vehicles and motorcycles painted in the army colours.
Many of the residents fled to neigbouring
villages, Kodunga and Maiduguri. About 200 of them are in Maiduguri
awaiting the intervention of the National Emergency Management Authority
and the state government .
A security source, who confided in one of
our correspondents, said the insurgents also attacked Madagali and
installed a ruler for the town.
It was gathered that tension had been
high in the state with an intelligence report that the terrorists were
massing and piling up arms to launch an attack on Maiduguri.
Our source added that the threat and the
battle in Bama made the military leadership to impose a 7pm to 6am
curfew on Maiduguri.
It was learnt that the curfew was meant to avail security personnel of the opportunity to track the movements of the insurgents.
The source added that the military
authorities had last week deployed additional 1,000 soldiers in
Maiduguri when it got wind of the threat by Boko Haram.
As of the time of filing this report on Monday, the insurgents were still holding out against the troops.
Another security source, who confirmed that the troops killed 59 out of the sect members, added that 30 others were injured.
He was, however, silent on the casualty figure on the side of the troops.
“Fifty nine of them fell to the superior
weapon handling and war tactics of the soldiers. About 30 others were
seriously wounded,’’ said the source who asked not to be named.
The Defence Headquarters, in its tweeter
handle, DefenceInfoNG, at 7pm on Monday, said the “Bama attack is being
repelled. We cannot state casualty situation or figures now. Everything
necessary will be done to contain the terrorists.’’
Some residents of Bama told journalists in Maiduguri that they woke up early Monday morning to heavy bombardment.
One of them said, “There was pandemonium
everywhere as gunshots boomed. We later heard that over 200 Boko Haram
terrorists attempted to capture the town.
“We also learnt that they stormed the
town through Bama-Banki-Gwoza Road but they were confronted by some
troops near the Bama Mobile Police Unit located about five kilometres
away from the centre of the town.
“They were believed to have tactically
attempted to enter the town in a convoy of military vehicles and
motorcycles, dressed in military uniform and armed with sophisticated
weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).”
He added that during the battle with the troops, sounds of Rocket Propelled Grenades were heard.
He said the explosions made many residents to flee the town to Konduga and Maiduguri.
Another resident, Mallam Mohammed
Ahmed, told journalists on the telephone that “there was an attempt by
the insurgents to enter Bama and capture it as they did in Gwoza few
weeks back. But thank God for the gallantry of the troops stationed near
the mobile police unit who confronted them with the assistance of their
colleagues from the 21 Brigade of the Nigerian Army. I know more than
59 insurgents were killed and many injured.”
He said, “Many of our people had to flee
to Maiduguri and Konduga for safety. Some are still taking refuge in
some villages near Bama.”
Another resident of Bama, Alhaji Masa
Bukar, told journalists at the Konduga Motor Park they were advised by
the soldiers to leave the town.
Bukar said, “ We were just preparing for the Subh prayer (4:45am) when we heard gunshots around the Technical College and Mobile Police Unit along Banki Road.
“We were advised by the military and the
Civilian Joint Task Force to leave the town so as to allow them confront
the insurgents.”
He disclosed that some of them
stopped in Kawuri or Goniri and Konduga, “but others decided to go
straightaway to Maiduguri where military presence is high.”
A traditional title holder in Bama who
did not want his name in print said in Maiduguri that he was pleased
that the soldiers displayed gallantry.
He said, “Even the reinforcement being
done by the GOC now is a clear indication that the military is serious
and ready to end insurgency in the state unlike in the past.”
Efforts to reach the spokesman for the 7
Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Col. Usman Sani, on the
telephone yielded no result as his line was switched off.
