Heavy Gun Battle As Military, Boko Haram Clash In Maiduguri

L-R: Senate President, Bukola Saraki, President Muhammadu Buhari, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christain Pilgrims Commission, Mr Johnkeneddy Opara, President, Christian Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Rev Israel Akanji, and FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, during a Christmas homage to the President by FCT residents at the Presidential Villa Abuja, on Friday

Gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram were yesterday evening involved in a shoot-out with soldiers in Aladuwari village – about 2 km away from Maiduguri. The attackers arrived the area at about 6 p.m. local time, our correspondent reports
Report reaching The Tide from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital has it that there is an ongoing battle between Boko Haram insurgents and the military over attempts by the insurgents to take over the capital city.
According to our correspondent, there is tension in the capital city as the military are making effort to stop the insurgents who have mobilized themselves in buses from penetrating the city of Maiduguri.
The Tide gathered that the terrorists, who were trying to make an inroad through Ajidalari, along the suburb of Jiddari Polo, were intercepted by troops and members of the vigilante group popularly called civilian JTF, resulting to heavy exchange of fire powers from both sides.
One of the security operatives disclosed that they were in pursuit of the insurgents and that they had killed many.
Attempt to speak with the spokesperson of the Operation Laifya Dole, Col Mustapha Anka was unsuccessful as his phone number was busy at the time of filing this report.
But residents of Polo and Damboa roads in Maiduguri said that the sound of heavy artillery and gunshots had brought back memories of the dreadful days.
“Wallahi, it is not good at all. The sound of gunshots is too much from our area here. It is as if the shooting is happening in front of my house. I saw a lot of Civilian JTF with sticks and daggers running towards the old Molai road, with soldiers on foot also among them”, Bulama Shettima, a resident of Polo in Maiduguri told newsmen.
Another resident of Damboa stated that the situation seemed to be a clear reply to the military and President Buhari that the December deadline was not met.
Reacting, however, the Army Spokesman, Sani Usman, said there is no way the insurgent could be making attempt to take over Maiduguri. He said what happened was an attempt by some suicide bombers to penetrate into Maiduguri before the military intercepted them. He asked, “ how could the same insurgents that have been defeated be making such an attempt?” Usman promised to issue a statement detailing what transpired.
Meanwhile, another catastrophe was averted in Kaduna State and other contiguous areas when troops of the Nigerian Army arrested seven suspected Boko Haram terrorists bomb and Improvised Explosive Devices making specialists.
The terrorists, according to the military, were arrested in Kaduna after painstaking surveillance and proactive intelligence operations over a period of time.
The military said from all indications, the suspects were in Kaduna to conduct suicide bombings, kill and maim innocent citizens in the state and other surrounding areas during the festive period.
A statement on Sunday by the Nigerian Army said: “Recall that recently in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, some of them were arrested while trying to detonate IEDs carried in food containers in public places.
“The arrest of these suspects would no doubt assist in the fight against terrorism in the country, more so as the military have technically defeated the Boko Haram terrorists in the field, the terrorists have resorted to attacking soft targets through suicide bombings, IEDs and harassing attacks on isolated communities.”
“Therefore, the public are please requested to continue to be more vigilant and security conscious by reporting suspicious persons and movements to the security agencies.
“This request has become necessary because the terrorists have resorted to mingling with the public across the country after sensing the futility of their encounter with troops in the north east. Therefore, they adopt other methods of perpetuating violence in the society.”