Boko Haram: Maiduguri-Damaturu road reopens after temporary closure

By: Bodunrin Kayode 

The Maiduguri-Damaturu road, the only exit from the Borno state capital, has been opened to commuters after a temporary shutdown today after improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were planted against Nigerian troops.

The IEDs were set at the wee hours of the day when insurgents launched a fierce attack on the Ngamdu military base, causing damage to the general area for at least an hour.

Just before the first light of Friday, reinforcements were coming from Mainoc and Beneshiek but drove directly on top of IEDs, which the insurgents had planted before their aggression against the Ngamdu camp.

By first light, hundreds of commuters and their vehicles were already trapped at the exit point in Damaturu en route to Maiduguri as a result of the wee-hour attack on the base, while those coming from Maiduguri were also affected.

Those coming from Damaturu were stopped from embarking on the journey; one knows his/her fate, and no one is sure as to when the ever-busy road will reopen for free flow of traffic. 

Some of the troops were feared killed even as the suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked the military base, which was a super camp expresswayin the Kaga local government area of Borno State.

A military source hinted that troops fought back for over an hour to stop the terrorists from overrunning the camp before 4 am, when the fracas reduced. 

Meanwhile, security sources said the insurgents operated for over an hour before the arrival of reinforcements.

The attack was a coordinated attack that involved a high number of criminals.

Responding to the incident, the spokesman for the 7th Division, Lieutenant Colonel Uba, stated that the attack has been successfully repelled by the military. 

“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI successfully repelled a coordinated terrorist attack in the Ngamdu general area, following a swift response by forces on the ground and reinforcement elements from 29 Task Force Brigade.

“The terrorists employed Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), armed drones, and command-initiated Improvised Explosive Devices, targeting troops and own platforms. 

“Despite the intensity of the attack, troops held their ground and responded with superior firepower, inflicting significant losses on the terrorists.  Unfortunately, our own troops recorded 4 x Killed in Action (KIA) and 5 x Wounded in Action (WIA). Additionally, some Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and Gun Trucks (GTs) sustained varying degrees of damage during the encounter.

“The terrorists attempted to prevent reinforcements and inflict further casualties by planting multiple IEDs along the Ngamdu–Damaturu Main Supply Route (MSR). This necessitated a temporary closure of the MSR, as engineers swiftly responded to clear 3 IED-laden spots. Following successful clearance, the MSR has now been reopened to both military and civilian movement.

“In response to the attack, troops were immediately resupplied with critical logistics, including MRAP tires and ammunition, to sustain operations and restore full mobility. Credible intelligence confirms heavy terrorist casualties, with reports indicating mass burials of about 15 bodies conveyed in pushcarts by the terrorists for burial around Bula Wura, near Wasaram.

“As part of continued efforts to dominate the area, 29 Task Force Brigade has launched fighting patrols and exploitation operations aimed at denying the terrorists freedom of action and consolidating operational gains.

“The gallantry and resilience of the troops have been commended, and the public has been assured that normalcy would be sustained with operations ongoing to maintain peace and security in the area.” Said Uba Sani.

Boko Haram: Maiduguri-Damaturu road reopens after temporary closure

Bandit attack in Charanchi leaves elderly man dead, livestock stolen

By: Zagazola Makama

Suspected armed bandits on Wednesday night attacked Billire Village in Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing an elderly man and rustling livestock.

Zagazola Makama report that the incident occurred at about 10:52 p.m., when the bandits sneaked into the village. Police and military patrol teams, alongside community vigilantes, were promptly mobilized to the scene.

Authorities discovered that one Alhaji Sule Dan-Kado, 70, had been critically shot during the attack and later succumbed to his injuries at the General Hospital Charanchi. The bandits also made away with an unspecified number of livestock.

Security operatives have cordoned off the area, blocked all potential exit routes, and launched a search operation to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen properties.

Bandit attack in Charanchi leaves elderly man dead, livestock stolen

Teenager died in Borno farmer, harder clash

By: Zagazola Makama

A 15-year-old boy has died during a clash between farmers and herders in Monguno Local Government Area of the state.

Sources confirm that at about 5:00 a.m. in Kawuram bush when some herders allegedly allowed their cattle to graze on farmlands belonging to residents of Abbari ward, Monguno.

According to sources, when the farmers attempted to drive the cattle away, the herders attacked them, inflicting fatal machete injuries on one Ali Goni, aged 15, and shooting another, Modu Suri, 25, with a bow and arrow.

A combined team of the military, police tactical units, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters visited the scene, evacuated the victims to the General Hospital in Monguno, where Goni was confirmed dead on arrival.

Suri, who sustained injuries, is currently receiving treatment and responding well, while the remains of Goni have been released to his family for burial in line with Islamic rites.

Teenager died in Borno farmer, harder clash