The insurgents reportedly attacked the town at about 5:00pm Sunday leading to a battle that lasted about three hours before reinforcement by Nigerian troops from neighbouring towns led to the repelling of the insurgents.
Local residents confided in this reporter that the insurgents stormed the town in large numbers and temporary dislodged the soldiers on duty post in the town leading to the destruction of the troop’s houses as well as two long range artillery guns.
A resident of the town, Sani Zira said after routing the soldiers, the insurgents had controlled the town for many hours before reinforcement of troops from nearby Madagali town dislodged them leading to the confiscation of an operational truck used by the insurgents, 20 rifles as well as a large quantity of ammunition and explosives.
Zira noted that the insurgents have in the process suffered massive casualties as more than 20 of them have been killed during the fight although it was speculated that the insurgents had fled with majority of the corpses towards Sambisa Forest.
In the wake of the attack, residents fled to the bushes and surrounding mountains for the fear of the unknown. “Many residents are still in bushes and mountains for the fear of another attack,” Zira said.
It was also reported that a civilian sustained a stray bullet wound during the onslaught but no reports of civilian death was recorded as at the time of filing this report.
A community leader and former chairman of Madagali local government, Maina Ularamu confirmed that the attack lasted many hours before the attackers were repelled.
Efforts to contact the Army Public Relations Officer of the 23rd Brigade Command, Captain Nuhu Jafaru proved abortive as his phone numbers refused to connect.
No comments:
Post a Comment