Suspected armed members of the most dreaded terrorists group in Nigeria, Boko Haram, yesterday invaded a Military Formation at the outskirts of Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State, and sacked all the inhabitants in the base.
Due to lack of telecommunications networks, information on the attacks was delayed.
Sources claimed that both Boko Haram and some security operatives suffered quite a number of casualties in the clash, as residents of Magumeri fled into the bush for safety.
Already, some residents have started returning back from the bush after 48hours as security situation normalises.
Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State located north and about 35 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the state capital had witnessed series of Boko Haram attacks and killings in recent times.
A local who is a resident of the town living near the market and close to the District Head Palace, Abur Zanna said,” the Boko Haram terrorists entered the town at exactly 5:40 pm in a large convoy of trucks and motorcycles shouting slogans like, “Allahu Akbar” meaning, God is Great, moving round the town scaring the residents and making some residents to flee into bushes to hide for safety as there are no villages close by”.
Another highly placed Politician from Magumeri who is not authorized to talk to the press confirmed the attacks and sacking of the military base and some civilians in the latest attacks.
He said, at the time of the attacks, some soldiers, policemen and many civilians took to their heels for safety due to fire power from the terrorists that last for three to four hours.
Another civil source, a staff of Magumeri Local Government Area who was in company of officials that visited the town to assess the situation with a view to assist victims, BakakaModu said, “We are aware of the attack.
“We were told since Friday evening when they entered Magumeri but we cannot come over immediately due to security situation till this morning (Sunday) when we are able to reach Magumeri town and went round the town assessing the situation.”
“We found out that no structure was affected neither any body was killed or wounded as suspected during the invasion by the Boko haram insurgents. But a lot of damages have been done to the military base and property in the base.
“The military officials refused and denied us access to visit the base to assess the extent of destruction at the formation which is located at about 3 kilometers away from Magumeri town outskirts northwards of the town along Magumeri-Gubio road.
“Normalcy has returned to the town since Saturday afternoon and the military, police, civil defence and Vigilante CJTF have returned back to their respective base.
“Things are under control as at the time we visited. The situation is calm and everybody was advised to go about his or her normal businesses but to be extra careful and be on the watch out, especially, any suspicious element in their midst and report immediately any suspected movement of persons or object around to security agents nearest to them.
“We have since returned to Maiduguri as we operate from Maiduguri due to destruction of our secretariat by the BHTs which is yet to be repaired or renovated by the state government like those of Bama, Gwoza, Danasak, Gajiram, Askira/Uba, Chibok, Damboa, etc,”BakakaModu said.
Meanwhile, suspected Boko Haram fighters have killed 15 Nigerian soldiers in an attack on a military base in Borno State, security sources said Saturday.
The terrorists rode into Magumeri Local Government Area and sacked a brigade there at about 6:00 p.m. on Friday, our correspondent learnt.
A captain, a lieutenant and 13 soldiers lost their lives following intense firefight with the terrorists, sources said.
Our correspondent has withheld the identity of the officers to allow Nigerian Army enough time to notify their loved ones.
Nineteen soldiers were wounded in the attack. They were evacuated to the military hospital in Maiduguri for treatment.
About 24 soldiers who survived the attack, which was first reported by Agence France Presse last Friday, left the base to a safer military facility, sources said.
Heavy military equipment, including anti-aircraft machine guns and Toyota Hilux vehicles, were reportedly stolen by the insurgents during the attack.
It was not immediately clear the level of casualties against the terrorists. The Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) had already claimed credits for the attack via its propaganda channels.
The army has not issued a statement about the attack. A spokesperson did not immediately return requests for comments on Friday night.
The attack came as the military was managing the aftermath of a similar overrun of a base in Borno on April 26. At least five soldiers were killed on that day while the dozens feared missing were yet to be found.
The attacks by the Book Haram have continued despite the efforts of Nigeria’s security agencies in partnership with those of neighbouring countries.
The Boko Haram, which demand an Islamic state in Northern Nigeria, has been largely restricted to the three North-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. However, they still carry out attacks on soldiers and civilians in those states.
Also, gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect have kidnapped a National Youth Service Corps member, Abraham Amuta and a cleric with Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), identified as Pastor Oyeleke in Borno State.
Friends of the corps member said on Twitter that they were abducted two weeks ago on their way to Chibok to distribute relief items to Internally Displaced Persons and evangelise.
It was said that they were in a vehicle alongside some other passengers when the attack occurred.
Amuta, it was learnt, is the only son of his parents.
One of his friends, who go by the name Success Ezeanya, wrote, “Abraham Amuta is a corps member serving in Maiduguri. He was abducted by Boko Haram two weeks ago. He went for evangelism with a pastor from his church – Living Faith. He is an only son. Let’s not forget him in our prayers.
“He is a Batch B, stream 1 corps member serving in Maiduguri, Borno State. It’s been over two weeks now since he went missing in Maiduguri. Some people claiming to be Boko Haram have called and claimed to have abducted him. Please retweet until the Federal Government sees this.”
Due to the volatile nature of Borno State, corps members are usually given the option to redeploy.
Last November alone, a total of 818 out of 1,118 corps members of the Batch C redeployed.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State had pleaded with corps members deployed in the state not to seek redeployment, assuring them of his government’s commitment to their welfare and security.
He also told them that they are major stakeholders in the task of the development of the state.
According to him, the state still pays monthly allowances of N10,000 to all categories of corps members; N50,000 to paramedics graduates and N100,000 to corps members who are medical doctors.
The immediate past Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Zakari Kazaure, had warned corps members living in volatile areas not to engage in evangelism
He insisted that the concern of the corps members should be to serve and not to go and indoctrinate the host communities.
“Let me, however, warn you that you are posted to go and serve and not to go and evangelise. Your concern should be to serve and not to go and indoctrinate your host communities. Conversion of souls is not your concern,” Kazaure had said.
The Spokesperson for NYSC, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, did not respond to repeated telephone calls yesterday.