Nigerian troops today repelled a group of boko haram insurgents who launched an attack on the town of konduga in Borno State. In a fierce battle, the soldiers routed the Islamist insurgents who have overrun several towns in Nigeria’s northeast in recent weeks, killing more than 150 of the Islamist sect’s fighters.
Today’s victory by the soldiers marked an important change of fortunes for the Nigerian military, which was bracing to face boko haram insurgents who have sworn to capture the Borno State capital, Maiduguri. “Today’s attack by boko haram was their first foray towards Maiduguri,” said a security source. “And we gave them the shock of their lives,” he added.
Our military sources revealed that the Islamist fighters numbered about 200. They came in an armored personnel carrier (APC), six Hilux buses, two Honda cars rigged with explosives with suicide drivers and
numerous motorcycles, our sources added.
Soldiers drawn mostly from Maimalari Barracks ambushed the militants as they drove in a convoy to attack konduga, some 50 miles from Maiduguri. “We knew about [boko haram’s] planned attack three days ago, and we had prepared for them,” an army officer told a correspondent of SaharaReporters. He added that the militants assembled in Bama for the attack.
Our sources revealed that, as soon as the militants arrived and began attacking konduga, Nigerian troops emerged from their places of ambush on various sides to engage them. They added that most of the militants were killed, with the Nigerian army seizing a variety of high caliber weapons from the insurgents. A military officer said that only the APC, which most likely carried a senior boko haram militant, was able to escape towards Bama.
Quoting security and intelligence sources, SaharaReporters had reported that boko haram had vowed to capture Maiduguri before the Islamic feast of Sallah, which falls in the first week of October.
A military officer familiar with today’s triumphant operation said the Nigerian troops who routed boko haram insurgents had returned to their barracks in Maiduguri. “We’re now preparing to pursue the militants further into Bama and beyond,” said the officer.
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