Boko Haram Retake Four Towns In Yobe and Borno States

The Islamist terror group, Boko Haram, has routed Nigerian troops from four towns in Borno and Yobe states, both in Nigeria’s violence-plagued northeast that is the epicenter of the group’s activities.

Six days ago, insurgents belonging to Boko Haram took over the town of Gwoza after overwhelming Nigerian troops guarding the town. The Islamist sect’s fighters invaded the town in the middle of last week, massacring more than 100 residents, including a brother of the Emir of Gwoza as well as the chief imam of the town’s major mosque.

Security sources disclosed that the sect also killed or wounded numerous Nigerian soldiers during their initial assault and, days later, in a counter-offensive mounted by the Nigerian Army to try to wrest the town back from the stranglehold of the Islamists.

A top security source disclosed that Boko Haram had successfully beaten back three separate columns of Nigerian troops from Gwoza. “The most recent was a team of soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Agwu of the former Special Operations Battalion (SOB) now 234 Battalion,” the source told our correspondent.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Colonel Agwu was missing in action after his column made a hasty retreat in the face of an onslaught by a group of heavily armed insurgents. But our military source disclosed that Colonel Agwu was able to escape and to make it back alive to Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri. “I understand he had to disguise as a woman to escape from the militants,” our security source revealed.

Apart from Gwoza, Boko Haram militants have also seized three towns in Yobe State, according to other security sources. Insurgents belonging to the sect have reportedly taken control of the towns of Buni Yadi, Buni Gari and Goniri, all in Gujba local government area of Yobe State.

Several of the militants have occupied camps abandoned by Nigerian troops as they fled from a series of fierce battles with insurgents, our security sources said.
Members of the sect have bombed Katako Bridge that links Buni Yadi with Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

One source said the Nigerian Army was planning a broad strategy to mount a major military campaign to retake the towns recently seized by Boko Haram. “Our Cameroonian counterparts have been able to take back towns from Boko Haram. We’re planning seriously to do the same thing,” said the army officer. “We have the manpower, training and weapons to defeat Boko Haram,” he added.

SR

Boko Haram Retakes Military Camps in Gujba Local Govt Area, Yobe State

Military camps in Buni Yadi, Buni Gari and Goniri, all in Gujba Local Government area of Yobe State have
now been allegedly occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents, according to residents of the area.

It was also gathered that the recent bombing of the Katarko Bridge by the insurgents has temporarily cut-off both vehicular and human movement between Buni Yadi, the capital town of Gujba local government area and the Yobe state capital, Damaturu.

It was however gathered that some bold travellers going into what has become the den of the insurgents have to break their journeys at Katarko and cross over River Katarko to join a waiting vehicle to Buni Yadi or Buni Gari and vice versa.

One of the residents of the area, speaking to journalists anonymously in Damaturu after a ride from the "danger zone", disclosed that members of the Boko Haram sect "now move freely in the area brandishing their guns and weapons."
He lamented that the insurgents "now occupy locations that were previously manned by military in the areas."
“I am just coming from Buni Yadi. I came with my bicycle all the way to this place. I did not use any bush path. I followed the main road.
“We are facing a very terrible situation. There is no single security in our area.

The same in Buni Gari and Goniri. In fact the boys ( yaara in Hausa referring to Boko Haram) have taken over the military camps in the areas."

Details to follow

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