President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Thursday in Mubi, Adamawa State and Baga, Borno State applauded Nigerian troops for proving their mettle once again through the rapid recapture of territories formerly held by insurgents in the country’s North-Eastern states.
Jonathan
Addressing officers and men of the Nigerian Army in both towns, which were recently recaptured from Boko Haram, President Jonathan declared that he and all Nigerians were very proud of the bravery, competence and patriotism with which they were now undertaking operations to expel the insurgents from all parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The President said that with their recent successes, which have overwhelmingly turned the tide against Boko Haram, the Nigerian military has proven beyond any doubt that it remains fully capable of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria. The military’s recent victories against Boko Haram, President Jonathan told the troops, have also proven conclusively that all those, within and outside the country, who cast aspersions on Nigerian soldiers and questioned their ability and willingness to overcome the insurgents were misinformed and wrong.
The Defence headquarters yesterday debunked online media publications that the family of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh was evacuated by Airforce helicopter from his home town near Mubi.
Nigerian soldiers
A statement from Defence Headquaters website reads, “Contrary to a misinformation that has gone viral on cyberspace, Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh never sent any helicopter to his home town in Adamawa State to evacuate members of his family hours before the fall of the town to Boko Haram terrorists.
“In that vein, mass media practitioners have been urged to desist from lifting unsubstantiated items from social media and bloggers who often do not know the difference between beer parlour gossip and news.
The statement referred to one such reckless publication as asserting Badeh sent a military helicopter to evacuate members of his family just a few hours before the fall of his home town to Boko Haram terrorists.
Titled “No Helicopter Evacuated the CDS Family Members”, it said “The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to an article with the caption, “The Helicopters that evacuated CDS Badeh’s family from Mubi: A lesson for All Nigerians” written by a certain Elvis Iyorngurum and posted in an on-line news outlet, NewsRescue.com on the 6th of November, 2014.
“The said article which contained strings of deliberate falsehood and spurious allegations claimed that few hours before the attack on Mubi by the terrorists, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal AS Badeh flew in helicopters and evacuated his family from the town and abandoned everyone else to their fate.
“While the DHQ remains at a loss as to the motive for these unconscionable fabrications, it is pertinent to quickly repudiate the false claim and to state clearly that at no time did the CDS send any helicopter to evacuate any of his family members before, during or after the attack on his home town.
“Contrary to the claims by the author, the helicopter that flew to Mubi was on an operational mission to reinforce the ground troops in preparation of efforts to repel the attack. The helicopter did not convey any civilian or relation of the CDS as disdainfully insinuated in the article.
“Considering the fact that the falsehood packaged against Air Chief Marshal Badeh by Elvis has not only been mischievously and widely circulated, it has been further made viral on the social media, it can no longer be dismissed as one of those careless efforts in the campaign to tarnish the name and integrity of this senior officer and the Armed Forces who are doing their best to address the security situation in the country.
“The damage done by the fabrications contained in that article has not only personal, but national security implications.
“Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh as the Chief of Defence Staff has uppermost in his heart, the interest of the entire citizens of Nigeria, whom he swore to protect. Insinuating that the CDS is self-centred and insensitive to the plight of his people is wicked and damaging indeed.
“The DHQ wishes to reassure Nigerians that as a patriot and one on whose shoulders the leadership of Nigerian Armed Forces rests, he has honestly reaffirmed severally that he considers every Nigerian and every part of Nigeria as deserving of equal protection especially at this challenging times.
“Just like any other Nigerian, the CDS is pained at the mindless carnage and bloody violence perpetrated against innocent Nigerians by the terrorist group. Contrary to the falsehood bandied around by a number of professional critics and detractors, the CDS believes that every town or village under attack deserves protection whether it is his home town or not.
“This false story on Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh is one of the many fabrications being circulated as information or articles by individuals who have remained desperate in the efforts to dampen the spirit and morale of military personnel in particular and Nigerians in general as we strive to stop the activities of terrorists on rampage against our people.
“ It is therefore necessary to appeal to the populace of concerned citizens to join hands with the security forces in this effort by refraining from the series of distractive criticisms and comments.
“The mass media is again requested to beware of lifting stories on the military from online media that has become the main channel of disseminating falsehood on happenings in the system.”
Last week’s seizure of Mubi, Adamawa state’s second largest city was carried out by only 64 Boko Haram fighters, a national newspaper claims. This has further raised questions about the combat readiness of Nigeria’s military and its capacity to defend Nigeria’s territory from the Islamist sect.
According to the Daily Trust, only 64 Boko Haram fighters captured Mubi town, quoting, a resident who fled the town, now even renamed by Boko Haram to ridicule Nigeria.
The man who spoke with the BBC Hausa on Tuesday, said the insurgents told the residents that only seven fighters attacked the military barracks.
“The boys have been on alert, as they continue to patrol the town,” the resident said.
“They man all the junctions in the town and search all those coming into and going out of the town.
“Some of them went to a cleric and lectured him extensively. They told the cleric that they were able to capture the town so easily because what they stand for was the right path.
“They told him that only 64 of them launched attack on Mubi and captured the town eventually. The boys (Boko Haram) told the cleric that only seven people were left to handle the town’s military barrack,” he said.
The local, who spoke after he left Mubi, explained that there was not a single uniformed security officer in Mubi pat present, “unless if they changed their uniforms to civilian ones.”
He said some jobless youths alleged to be thieves were killed by the sect’s members after discovering stolen cartons of foodstuff in their houses.
“They not only amputated them, but killed them after they found out that parts of Mubi town were set ablaze to enable them break into shops and steal,” he said.
He said the insurgents, mostly youths, have been moving freely in the town and patroling all the streets with guns.
“When they come to you, you just have to say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and they will allow you to pass untouched,” he said.
YOLA— FEW hours after the Federal Government gave the military marching orders to flush out Boko Haram insurgents from Mubi, the commercial nerve centre and second largest town in Adamawa State, the terrorists, yesterday, defiantly renamed the town ‘Madinatul Islam’, which means the city of Islam.
Four local governments of Michika, Madagali, Mubi North and Mubi South of Adamawa State are now in the firm grip of the insurgents, throwing up thousands of internally displaced persons.
Trapped residents of the town who spoke on telephone confirmed that the insurgents firmly in control have renamed the town and have also set up check-points in strategic locations. The terrorists were also said to have urged all the residents who fled to return as they would be more secure in the areas controlled by Boko Haram than in Nigerian territories.
A trapped resident, Aliyu Bala, who spoke on telephone said: “They (insurgents) mounted check-points in strategic locations, brandishing rifles but asking us not to panic or run away. But despite assurances of safety and security, thousands of the trapped residents have been sneaking out as they said they would not risk staying in the town for fear of the unknown.”
A resident of Uba town, Mallam Salisu Baba, however, said normal activities have started picking up in the captured territories as Boko Haram enjoined residents to go about their normal activities while asking them to open their shops for business.
He said: “The insurgents have also warned politicians not to try to hold any election in the state as they vowed to frustrate any of such actions and restated their resolve to capture the whole state in no distant time.”
Baba said the insurgents have assured them of security and freedom. He added that unlike other parts of the state where curfew was imposed and people were prevented from riding motorcycles, the insurgents have assured residents of free movement any time of the day and asked them to ride their motorcycles and go about their normal activities.
According to him: “The insurgents have assured people of freedom and have been telling shop owners to open their shops, threatening that anyone who fails to open his shop will have the shop broken. Whenever the insurgents want any commodity, they pay for it. This encouraged meat sellers, tea sellers and others to open for business.
“They provided security during the market day of Uba town last Thursday while promising to continue to give market owners and residents who come to the area utmost security as long as they comply with Islamic rules. They have opened one of the filling stations belonging to A.A Garba in Uba town as motorists trooped to buy the commodity due to high demand,” Baba said.
Yola-based legal practitioner, Sunday Joshua Wugirawho, who went to Maiha town to pick up his aged parents who fled to the town when Mubi was captured, said despite the assurance by the insurgents, several trapped residents were still fleeing, including soldiers.
“I was in Maiha few hours ago. The pathetic plight of the people I saw was simply beyond imagination. We were in a commercial bus when some fleeing soldiers said we must adjust for them to get space in the bus, and we had no choice than to oblige. It’s unfortunate that even soldiers joined civilians to run away,” he said.
Boko Haram on rampage in Gombe, attacks police station
Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, yesterday, launched an attack on the police station in Nafada Local Government Area of Gombe State. The gunmen also took over the premises of a strategic cement manufacturing company in Gombe State, shortly after killing five people including a Sheikh in a neighbouring town.
According to workers at Ashaka Cement factory, the heavily armed militants came in convoys of pick-up vans and started shooting indiscriminately at workers after the security guards at the company fled into the bush.
Police officers attached to the Nafada station were said to have been overpowered as some of the officers reportedly fled on sighting the insurgents who had superior fire power.
Arms and ammunition were believed to have been looted from the station.
Spokesperson of the Command, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed there were reports of attacks in Nafada, and that reinforcement had been sent there. He however said details of the incident were still sketchy.
30 killed, 89 injured in Yobe bomb attack — hospital
In a related development, Executive Secretary of Yobe Hospitals Management Board, Dr Mamman Mohammed, has confirmed that 30 persons died while 89 others were injured in last Monday bomb attack in Potiskum, Yobe State.
He told Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, who paid a visit to the victims at the Potiskum General Hospital that some of the victims with severe injuries have been referred to tertiary health institutions in Azare and Nguru.
Gaidam directed that free treatment be given to the victims, saying “the government will bear all the medical bills of the victims, including those referred to other hospitals outside the state.”
He also condoled with the Shi’ite group on the death of their members. Members of the group were presumably attacked by a suicide bomber while on a procession.
No fewer than 300 Nigerian soldiers fled to Cameroon when Boko Haram insurgents overran Mubi, the second largest city in Borno State from security forces on Wednesday, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.
Soldiers in Borno fighting Boko Haram
Cameroonian military sources told our correspondent that Nigerian soldiers fled the north-eastern part of Nigeria, where the insurgency launched by the sect was raging, and crossed the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
The sources also said more Nigerian troops might have fled to other border towns in Cameroon after the Mubi attack. However, he added that their number had yet to be ascertained.
SUNDAY PUNCH also learnt that the deserting Nigerian soldiers would be moved away from the border areas to more secure locations, where they would be disarmed, fed and eventually repatriated to Nigeria.
The insurgents had taken over Mararaba Hildi, some few kilometres to Mubi town, on Tuesday, prompting a mass exodus of residents.
Hundreds of soldiers were said to have fled Mubi, which hosts two universities, as insurgents made advances to take over the town on Wednesday.
Speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday under the condition of anonymity, a senior Cameroonian military officer involved in the provision of welfare materials to the deserters, said, “They (Nigerian soldiers) are mostly around Boucla village in Bourha sub-division.
“So far, we can estimate the number of arrivals to be at about 300. These are the ones who arrived in uniform but we know that there are several others who shed their uniforms for civilian attires.”
The Mubi rout also forced thousands of Nigerian civilians to hit border villages in Cameroon in Benoue and Mayo Louti Divisions, and around Gachiga town.
It was, however, learnt that Cameroonian government was worried about the increasing number of refugees and where to keep them.
The relocation of Nigerian refugees was said to have become necessary as insurgents had previously attacked locations where fleeing Nigerian soldiers were housed.
Protests by indigenes of the border towns over attacks on the camps were said to have forced the Cameroonian government to adopt a policy of moving deserters far away from the border and out of the reach of Boko Haram.
It was further learnt that Cameroon had begun screening of deserters and refugees to prevent infiltration by insurgents.
“This time around, we are conducting a more thorough screening to avoid letting in Boko Haram infiltrators, who are known to inhabit the ranks of the Nigerian military,” an official of the Cameroonian government had told our correspondent in confidence.
Another Cameroonian military officer, who insisted on anonymity, expressed fears over possible infiltration of the country’s system through the refugee camps. He declined to give further details on how the screening was being conducted.
He said, “Taking them in is not something to make noise about. You and I know that we are in a military situation here. This is a war zone with Boko Haram spies crawling all over the place.
“The number we take and where we take them are obviously a military intelligence affair and nobody can give you that information, even if you were to approach the authorities in Yaounde.”
In a related development, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that Boko Haram had been cultivating and recruiting local fighters among Cameroonian youths.
The sect is operating cells that have been in operation in Cameroon for over three years, recruiting through what a source described as “financial enticement and intimidation.”
Community leaders in the Far North region says thousands of Cameroonian youths had joined the ranks of Boko Haram since the beginning of the year.
“These are mostly young unemployed Cameroonians lured by handsome financial proposals by Boko Haram point men. Other Boko Haram sleeper cells are run by senior Islamists intimidated into doing the bidding of the sect,” one of the traditional leaders in the area, who refused to have his name in print, told our correspondent.
Recruitment of youths by the sect is said to be gaining ground in Cameroon and other neighbouring countries, raising fears that the activities of the insurgents might spread to other parts of West-African sub-region.
The sect had abducted seven members of the Fournier family from France in Cameroon in 2013. They were later released after a huge amount of money was reportedly paid as ransom.
Senior military sources confirmed that some high-ranking Boko Haram members arrested in Cameroon were exchanged for the release of the wife of the Cameroonian Vice-Prime Minister, Ahmadou Ali, and 16 members of his family who were abducted in Kolofata on July 27, as well as 10 Chinese road workers abducted in Waza in April, 2014.
In another related development, top Cameroonian military officials have insisted there is a close cooperation between the Nigerian and Cameroonian armies.
Information on the total number of Boko Haram insurgents detained in Cameroon has been classified as military intelligence.
However, it was learnt that the Cameroonian military had invited their Nigerian counterparts to interrogate Boko Haram suspects, Abakar Ali alias Mustapha Umar, Mahamat Ali and Issiaka Guere, who were arrested on September 23, 2014.
Other suspected members of the sect in detention, who include Cameroonians, will be tried by a special military tribunal in Yaounde, Cameroon, it was learnt.
“We cannot tell you their numbers now because investigations are still going on. When the investigations will be completed, there is the possibility that some of the people being held now on suspicion of being members of Boko Haram might be found to be innocent.
“Others would surely be finally identified as Cameroonians. The decision as to the fate of those found to be foreigners will be taken after the conclusion of the investigations. But I must tell you that besides Cameroonians and Nigerians, there are also members of Boko Haram from other neighbouring countries, which names we cannot cite now”, an official involved in the investigation disclosed.
However, the Cameroonian authorities are said to be reluctant on the repatriation of suspected leaders of the sect in their detention, as they might return to the battlefield should they escape
When our correspondent contacted the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, for his reaction to the issue, he said he would not comment on it.
“I won’t comment on that,” he said.
In August, the Cameroonian Army Spokesman, Lt.-Col. Didier Badjek, had said Nigerian troops had fled to Cameroon after intense fighting with Boko Haram.
But Olukolade, had refuted the desertion claim, saying the soldiers merely strayed into Cameroon.
While Cameroonian authorities said over 700 Nigerian soldiers fled Boko Haram advances into Cameroon, Nigerian authorities had insisted that only 480 went into Cameroonian territory on “technical manoeuver.”
In recent times, Nigerian military have been battling with mutiny and have set up court martials to try soldiers who fled from battle.
On August 27, the military leadership arrested several soldiers, who deserted the army. The arrested soldiers came from different battalions.
A month after, the Defence Headquarters announced that another set of 60 soldiers would be arraigned before a General Court Martial by military authorities in Abuja on October 2 for mutiny. The soldiers allegedly committed mutiny on August 4, 2014 by refusing to join troops in Maiduguri for “an operation.”
Their arraignment which was to take place at the Sani Abacha Barracks in Abuja came as some of the 12 soldiers convicted on September 15, 2014 by the GCM notified the Court of Appeal of their intention to challenge their sentences.
The GCM headed by Brig. Gen. C. Okonkwo had sentenced 12 out of 18 soldiers found guilty of mutiny among other offences to death. Five of them were discharged and acquitted and one sentenced to 28 days’ imprisonment with hard labour and reprimand.
Boko Haram fighters on Wednesday clashed with Nigerian troops in the country’s remote northeast, forcing thousands to flee, after two other attacks that further undermined claims of a ceasefire.
Soldiers in Borno fighting Boko Haram
Residents said insurgents first overran the town of Uba in Borno state before moving to try to take Mubi, a commercial hub in neighbouring Adamawa, using firepower including rocket-propelled grenades.
“There is virtually not a single resident left in Mubi. Everybody has left to save their lives,” local resident Habu Saidu told AFP, as he trekked through the bush.
“People in thousands left the town on foot because all roads have been blocked by soldiers and it is not possible to leave by road.”
Fighting was reported to be fiercest around the town’s military barracks.
Nigeria’s government earlier this month announced that they had secured a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram and agreement to release 219 schoolgirls abducted from their Borno school in mid-April.
But violence — and further kidnappings — have continued unabated.
Saidu said the insurgents, who want to create a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, stormed the town in large numbers on motorcycles and four-wheel-drive vehicles.
“Soldiers responded by opening fire and two military jets dropped bombs on Boko Haram positions. We left because it is no longer safe to stay,” he added.
Another resident, Muhammad Madani, said he saw Boko Haram fighters firing two RPGs from a black jeep before the air force jets arrived and dropped five bombs.
“We saw the Boko Haram fighters. They kept saying they had come to fight the military and police and not civilians,” he added.
“No one believes them. We know how they killed people in all the places they seized after assuring them they were not going to harm them.”
In September, panicked residents fled their homes in Mubi after the rebels seized Michika, 42 kilometres (26 miles) away, in anticipation of an attack.
Mubi, which has previously been targeted by Boko Haram, had seen an influx of thousands of residents escaping the violence in nearby towns and villages.
Security fears forced the closure of the Adamawa State University, which is based in the town.
The attack comes after suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed several people in the town of Kukawa, some 180 kilometres from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, near Lake Chad, on Monday.
Heavily armed fighters in all-terrain vehicles stormed the town and opened fire on police and a local market.
Kukawa, near Lake Chad, has been repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram, forcing Nigeria’s state-run oil company to abandon prospecting and drilling.
“They (the gunmen) killed several people, especially around the market, where traders had gone for commercial activities,” said the Kukawa local government chairman Modu Musa.
“They burnt the whole market, the police station, government lodge, dozens of vehicles and most houses in the town in indiscriminate rocket and bomb attacks.”
Police officers in Kukawa initially intercepted the insurgents on the outskirts of the town and engaged them in a fight but were forced to retreat because of the gunmen’s superior firepower, Musa said.
There was no immediate comment from Nigeria’s military and independent corroboration is impossible with communications largely cut off and travel dangerous in the remote region.
Security analysts estimate that Boko Haram controlled at least 20 major towns in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states at the time the purported ceasefire deal was announced on October 17.
The Defence headquarters declared yesterday that the troops were in full control of Mubi, the second largest city in Adamawa State, even as no fewer than 70 insurgents were said to have been killed by local hunters and vigilante groups.
A Defence Headquarters, DHQ tweet yesterday read, “Mubi has not been attacked. Troops are still in patrol. Deployment positions in and around the town keeping watch. Situation is calm.”
According to DHQ, Nigerian soldiers were in full control of Mubi and any attempt by the terrorists to attack the town would be met with very disastrous consequences on the part of the terror group.
This disclosure came even as a senior officer told Vanguard that the troops were able to reclaim many towns from the terrorists due mainly to the offensive capabilities of the Nigerian Air Force.
Explaining why Mubi was a no-go area for the insurgents, the source said the town has become the centre of troops and equipment mobilisation for a new assault on the remnants of the terrorists, who moved into Adamawa from Gwoza through Madagali.
The source noted that there had been reinforcements of troops from the headquarters of the 3 armoured division, Jos and the 1 Infantry division, Kaduna while Commanders were putting finishing touches to strategies that would enable them wipe out the terrorists from the remaining parts of Adamawa State.
Meanwhile, respite is gradually returning to the northern parts of the state, which had been under terrorists’ siege for one week.
According to reports from Madagali, Michika, Bazza, Mubi and other adjoining towns and villages normalcy has now returned to the areas as the Nigerian Soldiers have taken over the local government from the insurgents. This is just as no fewer than 70 of the insurgents were feared killed by local hunters and vigilante groups.
The terrorists were said to have run short of ammunitions, which the local hunters were said to have capitalised upon to gain an upper hand.
Vandi Joseph, a resident of Michika, who spoke to reporters in Yola said the bandits have run short of ammunitions as they were running out of the city into the bush. “As I am speaking to you our youths and vigilante ambushed and killed over 70 insurgents,” he said.
Also, Military authorities are said to be investigating the source of fuel supplies to the insurgents. The military was said to be wondering how the terrorists could drive long distances with mounted weaponry like Anti-Aircraft weapons and also refuel easily, which enables them to move from one city to another.
A source disclosed that the troops discovered large fuel dumps when they launched an attack on the terrorists’ camps which were destroyed.
Meanwhile, no fewer than three innocent civilians were killed yesterday leaving several others injured as suspected members of Boko Haram sect attacked Shaffa District, Hawul Local Government area of Borno state.
This is coming barely 24 hours after another set of terrorists attacked Debiro communities in the same council, setting ablaze churches and houses belonging to Christians.
Hawul is south and predominantly Christian community and about 210 kilometres drive from Maiduguri which had witnessed series of attacks, killings and bombings of churches by insurgents.
A resident of Shaffa, Mwajim Hassan Balami who escaped the attack on Wednesday morning told our Correspondent that the rate at which insurgents were having a field day attacking residents of Tashan Alade, Kwajaffa, Pelachiroma, Jubwuwhui, Dalwa among other communities in the council was worrisome.
‘It is very unfortunate that our people, churches and residents have been killed and destroyed since the beginning of this year, but no action was taken by the government of the day.
It was gathered that the town of Shaffa and other communities of Hawul have been under deadly attacks, particularly with the slaughtering of some internally displaced persons who fled from Damboa attack in the last two months when insurgents overran Damboa.
Boko Haram said yesterday, it was still in control of Bama, Michika and Mubi towns.
Its spokesman, Abu Zinnira, in a statement said: “This is a rebuttal from the information dissemination and sensitization unit of the Jamaatul Ahlil Sunna Lidawati Wal Jihad (Boko Haram) on the series of lies that the Nigerian military have been feeding the world on our recent conquests.
“Let the whole world know that we are on the path of victory because up to this minute, the town of Bama is under our control, the whole of Michika is now in our hands, as well as Mararaban (Junction of) Mubi now fully under our control. We are assuring the world that this would be continuous and there will be no going back by God’s grace. This is a message from me on behalf of our brethren.”
As thousands of displaced persons continue to troop into Yola, the Adamawa State capital from the Northern Senatorial district following fierce fighting with the insurgents, the hometown of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh is said to be close to the reach of the insurgents.
Vimtim, Badeh’s hometown is about 30 minutes drive from Mubi along the highways on the Yola–Maiduguri road.
Attempts by the insurgents to overrun the CDS’ hometown came few hours after the insurgents shot and wounded the son of a former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at Bazza, the hometown of the General Officer commanding, GOC 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army, Jos, Major General J.S. Zaruma.
The fighting has forced the paramount Ruler of Mubi, Emir Abubakar Isah Ahmadu, the Vice President of Adamawa Council of Chiefs and Emirs to sneak out of the town.
Attempts to speak to the chairmen of Mubi North, Michika and Madagali local government councils proved abortive as they were reported to have deserted their council areas and relocated to Yola, the state capital.
The siege on Gulak, Michika, Bazza and its environs had affected commercial activities with reports saying that several people crossed over to the neighboring Cameroon.
“We couldn’t sleep due to the heavy gun shots that pervaded the air in the night and for now no one could say the exact situation. They kept shouting, chanting Allahu Akbar, people are now living in an atmosphere of despair and agony, even our Emir, His Royal Highness has left in the night,” said a resident that pleaded anonymity.
Also a palace source had confided that the emir was escorted out by security operatives following reports that the insurgents were advancing towards Mubi, already jam-packed by displaced persons.
“His Highness had earlier declined to leave the town, but security personnel mounted pressure on him, hence the reasons for the paramount ruler to travel out,” said the source.
A fleeing resident taking refugee on the hills disclosed in a telephone interview, that many residents were trapped in Michika, Bazza and Shuwa.
“We are in trouble now, many are trapped, some could not get out of their homes, these people were everywhere hoisting their flags on bikes, others brandishing their guns,” said another fleeing resident.
MAIDUGURI – Son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Lt Col Adeboye Obasanjo, an army engineer at the 3rd Division in Jos, Plateau State was shot yesterday by Boko Haram terrorists as he led soldiers on an offensive to reclaim Michika town in Adamawa State which fell into the hands of the insurgents. Twenty four soldiers were also reportedly killed during the encounter in which Lt Col Obasnjo was said to be seriously injured.
Obasanjo’s son, Boko Haram
The Defence Headquarters did not respond to inquiries seeking confirmation of the incident but a reliable military source, who confirmed the story, said the injured Obasanjo was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital inYola, the state capital.
At the time of the incident which took place at Baza, Major Gen J.S. Zaruwa, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, who serves as the Brigade Commander of the 23rd Army brigade in Yola and Lieutenant Agwu were all together advancing towards Michika when Boko Haram fighters ambushed them and unleashed the deadly attack on the soldiers.
According to reports, the army also lost an armoured tank to the militants. As a result of the attack, Mubi town has practically been deserted following the closure of schools and massive retreat of soldiers from the city.
Meanwhile, as the insurgents overran Michika, security operatives were said to have fled when they ran out of ammunition on Sunday.
A competent source from Michika, who escaped the attack and now taking refuge in Gombi council area of Adamawa State, expressed worry over the deadly attacks carried out by terrorists in the North-East. He regretted that this has destabilized the economic fortune of the citizenry who had laboured in this rainy season but had to abandon their farmlands.
Another resident who fled from the attack on Michika, Mr. Tumba Philemon who is now residing with one of his relatives at the state university in Mubi, expressed fears that the insurgents may invade Mubi as the town is not far from Michika town which has been reclaimed by insurgents.
How Boko Haram wreaked havoc in Michika
He noted that the terrorists, who succeeded in chasing away security operatives in Madagali town, invaded neighbouring Michika on Sunday and wreaked havoc on innocent civilians and internally displaced persons before hoisting their black and white flags.
Philemon added that, he was contemplating leaving Mubi town when he discovered that the state university authorities in Mubi has given directive that the school will remain closed on Monday (yesterday) and urged students to go back to their various homes for safety as the school authorities could no longer guarantee their safety.
He said when he discovered that the university had been closed, he had no option than to relocate to another zone.
Over 20 insurgents killed, 3 soldiers injured in gun duel
Over 20 Boko Haram terrorists were killed by the troops of Nigerian Army on Sunday, while three soldiers sustained fatal injuries when the insurgents attacked the residence of former Commander of Niger-Delta Special Task Force, Major General Tukur Buratai and Buratai Central Primary School in Buratai Town of Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
A resident of the area, Mallam Idi Buratai said the gunmen, numbering over 50 in number, stormed the town on motorcycles and Hilux vehicles and attacked the residence of General Buratai and Buratai Primary school, and succeeded in burning them.
He said: “The soldiers guarding the residence of the former Task force commander, in collaboration with their colleagues from Biu military barracks and the members of vigilante group, repelled the attack, killing over 20 members of the sect”.
Mallam Idi said the terrorists also succeeded in burning all mobile network masts in the town, adding that the terrorists, who stormed the town at about 9:30am on Sunday, came through Buni-Yadi, the town captured by the insurgents in Yobe State last month.
A resident of the town, who fled to Biu, Bukar Buba said the soldiers guarding the residence of the Army General successfully repelled the attacked, where many insurgents were killed, adding that they however fled with three vehicles inlcuding a military vehicle, noting that the three soldiers that sustained injuries later died at Biu general hospital while receiving treatment.
Confirming the incident, the District Head of Buratai, Alhaji Maina Garga said the insurgents attacked the residence of General Buratai but the soldiers guarding the house successful repelled the attack, killing many of the insurgents, while three soldiers sustained injuries.
He said normalcy has since return to the town, as the soldiers guarding the residence of General Buratai got prompt re-enforcement from Biu Military Barracks.
Boko Haram’s strongholds in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe
Altogether, Boko Haram terrorists are now in control of six local governments in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. In Borno, the insurgents have taken over and hoisted their flags in Gwoza, Gamboru-Ngala and Banki local governments. Bama and Damboa which were earlier taken over by the insurgents had been reclaimed by the military. In Adamawa, the insurgents are in control of Michika and Gulak local governments, while in Yobe, they have taken over Buni-Yadi Local Government.
