Soldiers Abandon Bama Battle Front As Air Force Jets Bomb Barracks

About 500 soldiers have fled the battle front in Bama after initially overwhelming Boko Haram militants who tried to take over the city earlier today.
Bama is the second largest city in Borno State, after Maiduguri, the state capital.

Saharareporters sources said the militants arrived in Bama as early 5:30a.m.but met stiff resistance from soldiers in the city. As the battle drew into the evening, however, about 500 soldiers initially drafted in to fight the insurgents fled to Maimalari Barracks in Maid, with thousands of civilians fleeing the city.

Trouble started when an Air Force jet sent in to assist the ground troops bombed the Bama Barracks after civilians that had sought refuge there were sent away by soldiers who then abandoned their weapons and sought to flee with the civilians. A few minutes later, the jet bombed the barracks, leading to casualties on the side of soldiers.

A military source told SaharaReporters tonight that Bama has become vulnerable and may be taken by the militants, who are believed to have gone for reinforcements.

Earlier today, over 50 militants were reportedly killed in fighting in Moraraba village, near Bama. Hundreds of Bama residents were reported to have streamed into Maiduguri, where they are lodging in Mairi Day Government Secondary school on Bama Road.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now