Reports reaching PREMIUM TIMES from credible military sources say that Boko Haram insurgents last night carried out yet another attack on two Borno villages.
“Damasak and Rann are currently under attack,” said the source who would not want his name published.
Damasak and Rann are both headquarters of two border local government areas, Abadam and Kala-Balge, both in Borno state. The former is located in northern Borno while the latter is remotely located in the central senatorial district of Borno.
The two communities have suffered their fair share of Boko Haram hostilities that led to the displacement of their residents between 2015 and 2017.
Rann is the Borno village where a military fighter jet that was sent out to attack an identified gathering of Boko Haram insurgents missed its coordinate and mistakenly dropped warheads on innocent people in an IDP camp killing nearly 200 persons.
It was still in Rann that health humanitarian workers were killed, while three other female health workers working for UN agencies were abducted last year. Two of the abductees have so far been killed by the Boko Haram
Damasak is one of the border towns of Borno that once fell under the conquest of Boko Haram before it was fully liberated in 2017.
Recently, the insurgents had a major confrontation in Damasak during which troops of the Nigerian military gave what the army spokesman, Sani Usman, described as “bloody nose.”
Mr Usman, an a brigadier general, said over 100 Boko Haram fighters were killed during a clearance operation along the border towns of Borno and Yobe States.
Last night, sources said the insurgents returned to Damasak for yet another attack.
The attack on Damasak went on almost at the same time another gang of Boko Haram gunmen were attacking Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge local government.
Sources had on Sunday said an alert on movement of suspected Boko Haram insurgents along the border communities of Borno and Yobe states was made.
An informed non-military source informed PREMIUM TIMES that Boko Haram insurgents were seen moving in large numbers in those axis.
“Information received confirm movement of BHTs (Boko Haram terrorists) in 10 Gun trucks moving westwards from Kadar Alamba, towards Geidam axis, while another information revealed presence of BHT in 9 Gun trucks at Eastern part of Ajiwango.
“This was shortly after the attack on Magumeri. Possible areas to be attacked are Geidam, Damasak, kareto and Gubio,” said the source who claimed the military were well informed about the movement.”
Why Magumeri was attacked by Boko Haram on Sunday
Meanwhile an update on Sunday’s attack by Boko Haram in Magumeri, which was earlier reported by PREMIUM TIMES, indicate that the military were able to neutralise the insurgents.
Though the military has not issued any statement or made comment on the attack, a top military source informed PREMIUM TIMES that the attack on Magumeri was targeted at two locations.
“The military base and the general hospital were the target,” said the source.
“The military were overpowered at the base and had to withdraw, allowing the air force to hit at the Boko Haram.
“The military base was destroyed but no casualty recorded, meanwhile the second group that went to the hospital packed so much drugs.
The source said the looting of the medical store in Magumeri may not be unconnected with the Damasak fight which left several Boko Haram with serious bullet injuries, and now in dire need for medical care.
“It’s most likely that the main aim of the attack was for the drugs in the hospital, which was a success,” said the source.
“Their aim for the drugs may not be unconnected to their recent losses and casualties from operations in Damasak.
Culled from: Premium Times
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