Nigerian Army troops have repelled two-midnight attacks by Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents in Borno State.
The troops killed scores of insurgents as three Civilian Joint Task Force members and a vigilante paid the supreme price.
Sources said the attacks occurred at midnight between Thursday and Friday at Gajibo in Ngala Local Government Area and Damboa.
The terrorists attempted to infiltrate Gajibo on Thursday around 11:30 p.m. but were repelled by the gallant Nigerian soldiers.
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They obtained immediate reinforcement from Dikwa and finally dislodged the insurgents. One insurgent was killed and many others fled injured.
However, two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and a vigilante were killed in the battle.
At around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, the insurgents similarly attempted to infiltrate Damboa, the headquarters of Damboa Local Government.
They reportedly fired an RPG which destroyed part of a military outpost in the town. However, they were dislodged after a military fighter jet joined the encounter.
Our sources said 16 insurgents were killed in the encounter, while several others were injured.
Borno State is experiencing a resurgence of the Islamist insurgency with frequent attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.
Last week, PREMIUM TIMES reported how the state recorded 12 attacks within three weeks, with over 40 innocent civilians killed.
The insurgents have reportedly improved their capabilities with new technology, including drones, to fight the Nigerian state.
However, the Nigerian Army, which has been under scrutiny from both the state and federal governments, took the battle to the insurgents by bombarding their enclaves in the Sàmbisa forest.
An army statement said several enclaves of the insurgents across the forest were dislodged.
According to sources, the recent attacks may be in retaliation for the offensive by the army.
The operation started shortly after an outburst by Governor Babagana Zulum, who had visited some areas recently attacked by the insurgents, including Rann, Dikwa, Marte, and Wulgo.
The governor, who has been visiting the communities since last Saturday, to sympathise with residents, called on the Nigerian government to support the military to end the insurgency.
Mr Zulum said the resurgence of the attacks has disrupted the resettlements of internally displaced people in the state.
“A few days ago, I visited the Chief of Army Staff. He said he is looking for about 32 drones and he would end the insurgency,” Mr Zulum told News Central.
The governor pleaded for swift procurement of vital military hardware.
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“My plea is that let us deal with this matter decisively. The president of Nigeria should listen to those who can distinguish between right and wrong—those who can tell him the right thing and not sycophants.
Borno State, the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency, has lost thousands of citizens to the insurgency, among millions displaced since 2009.
Regarding the debate on state police, Governor Zulum encouraged the strengthening of the existing security apparatuses.
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