Military repel terrorists, as Boko Haram, ISWAP launch multiple

•Terrorists seize town, abduct residents

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Four towns across major zones in Borno came under terrorists attack on Friday, as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) targeted military locations in these towns in a coordinated and daring manner. The terrorists launched simultaneous attacks on military bases at Jakana and Mainok along Damaturu-Maiduguri highway and few kilometres west of Maiduguri.

Another gang of the terrorists also stormed Konduga, some 37 kilometres to Maiduguri and Marte, both in the central part of Borno, targeting the military base. All attacks occurred between midnight on Thursday and the early hours of Friday.

The military in a statement said troops foiled the attacks, describing the terrorists’ attempts to overrun military locations as desperate.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have once again successfully thwarted coordinated terrorist attempts to overrun troops’ locations in Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok,” OPHK spokesman, Lt Col Sani Uba said in a statement.

He maintained that the attacks were met with “overwhelming resistance” from troops in all the locations. He said troops were on alert and determined to halt the assault despite strong resistance from the terrorists.

He explained that the fierce battle was fought in close coordination with the Air Component of the Operation Hadin Kai.

“Multiple precision air strikes were conducted overnight against fleeing terrorist elements and identified hostile positions, further neutralising scores of insurgents and degrading their fighting capability,” he disclosed

While the military thwarted these attacks, Boko Haram seized Ngoshe, a hilly town in Gwoza Local Government, Southeast of Maiduguri following a hot battle on Tuesday.

Ngoshe is tucked along the Mandara hills near the Nigeria-Cameroon border.

Survivors said residents started hearing sporadic gun shots at about 6:20pm as people were breaking their fast. They said some had just taken water and were in the mosque to observe their prayers before Iftar when the terrorists struck.

Sources said attempt by the military troops to halt the attack was unsuccessful as the terrorists stormed the town in large number, firing heavy guns. Some sources claimed nine soldiers died in the attack but this claim could not be verified as at press time. The terrorists killed some residents including an Imam and abducted unspecified number of women, girls and children.

Dozens of children were abducted in the attack with many of them, wearing only shorts, loose gown, without slippers or shoes.

It was gathered that many of the abductees were yet to take their Iftar (the meal at sunset after the Muslin daily fast) when the terrorists marched them into the bush.

In a video believed to have been released by Boko Haram, a man in military camouflage and his four lieutenants, said the group seized Ngoshe.

“Today, we Jama’atjul Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihado (Boko Haram) of Imam Abu Maila are in Ngoshe. We are in the mosque now and Insha Allah, we are not leaving Ngoshe. We are going to observe our eid (Eid fitri) here. No going back,” the man who is in his 20s, announced.