Politics
Co-ordinated Boko Haram attacks heighten tension in military circles.
The Sunday night attack in Borno that left scores dead has heightened tension in military circles, with the Army scrambling its resources to contain rising insurgence.
In apparent bid to reassert itself, the Boko Haram group began a wave of attacks on Saturday, just days after the Nigerian military said it had taken the sect’s last known fortress, Camp Zero, located within the Sambisa forest.
First, a surprise dawn attack on Saturday at the 27 Taskforce Brigade of the Nigeria Army in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, reports say, left an Army Captain and five other soldiers dead. The Brigade Spokesman, George Okupe, acknowledged that, indeed, there had been an attack but denied details on casualty figures on both sides.
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Nigerian troops were yet to recover from that when reports filtered in Sunday night that there had been a wave of suicide attacks in Borno. Early reports, though unconfirmed, say 8 persons have so far been declared dead.
Sources say the first attack occurred at Muna garage area while the other two took place at Kalleri. The Borno State Police Command has since confirmed the attacks.
Speaking, the PPRO Borno Command DSP, Victor Isuku said, “At about 2020hrs of yesterday 8/1/2017, three male suicide bombers shot sporadically and attempted to infiltrate Maiduguri via Garki Muna village close to a military checkpoint.
“The IED strapped to their bodies exploded killing all of them, and a civilian JTF.
“Two Ak47 rifles were recovered , while one was completely destroyed as a result of the explosion.
“Then about 2230hrs same date, there were two suicide bombers attack at Kaleri area of Gwange. Four persons including two female suicide bombers died in the explosion.”
The spate of recent attacks seem to cast doubts over early claims that the Boko Haram group may have been defeated. Though the military has continued to maintain that the pockets of attacks on soft targets were not unexpected and should not be source for great worry, analysts have not stopped querying why the Nigerian Army allegedly met an empty ‘Camp Zero.’
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yanju omotodun
January 9, 2017 at 1:16 pm
I wasn’t expecting any attack again from the Boko Haram as our president buhari asserted that the military have championed the course of Boko Haram insurgency.
seyi jelili
January 9, 2017 at 2:21 pm
What do you expect from buhari. Empty declaration. Just that the Boko Haram should try bomb aso rock so buhari can know Boko Haram are still much intact
Joy Madu
January 9, 2017 at 3:52 pm
That’s a no go area for them
If they dare aso rock, then their end is near.
JOHNSON PETER
January 9, 2017 at 1:32 pm
But I wonder why female suicide bombers are becoming rampant nowadays, it is so a sad news for females.
chichi emerue
January 9, 2017 at 3:54 pm
What a man can do , a woman can do it better is what the female suicide bombers are revealing to us.
Roland Uchendu Pele
January 9, 2017 at 5:00 pm
The Military took over Camp Zero, forgeting that the camp isn’t the problem, but the people who once resided in the camp. You don’t claim victory until you see all the enemy dead! Learn Naija!
Animashaun Ayodeji
January 9, 2017 at 5:15 pm
The only advise I’d give Nigeria army is not to celebrate when their enemies are still alive and active.
Johnson Amadi
January 9, 2017 at 5:18 pm
When the army were celebrating, Boko Haram was strategising on how to catch them unaware. Despite all the mouth our Army made, Boko Haram still knocked them down. Boko Haram is still winning… What’s Nigerian army’s next action?