A senior Nigerian army official today told SaharaReporters that the military was still capable of defeating insurgents in the Islamist group, Boko Haram. The officer, who asked not to be identified, said he expected Nigerian soldiers to make dramatic gains this week in the war against the insurgents.
The officer’s statement came a day after the Nigerian army took to twitter to declare that its troops stationed in Konduga, Borno State, had killed at least 50 Islamist militants. Yesterday’s military statement disclosed that a contingent of soldiers battled Boko Haram fighters in Kawuri, some 20 kilometers from Bama, the second largest town in Borno seized by insurgents last week. According to the military, the militants were planning to launch an attack on Konduga, the only army checkpoint standing between the Islamist militants and Maiduguri, the capital of Borno.
“We will continue to use the element of surprise to attack and kill them and to push them back,” said the source at Defense Headquarters in Abuja. He cited yesterday’s triumph over the Islamist fighters as a sign that the military was rising to the challenge of routing Boko Haram, a group whose members blame Western education and values for Nigeria’s many problems.
Offering an account of yesterday’s battle with the insurgents, the army claimed that its soldiers destroyed two anti-aircraft guns, an armored vehicle and a variety of ammunitions belonging to the Islamist fighters. One army officer and two soldiers were reportedly seriously injured in the attack, according to a statement from the Nigerian army.
Last weekend’s statement was the closest the military had come to admitting that its forces lost control of Bama to Boko Haram militants. Earlier last week, both officials of Borno State and the Nigerian army had denied that Boko Haram had captured the town.
A correspondent of SaharaReporters drew the general’s attention to Boko Haram’s capture yesterday of Gulak, and today’s capture of Michika, two major towns in Adamawa State. A military source disclosed to us that more than 300 soldiers stationed in Gulak were planning a major operation to dislodge Boko Haram from Madagali. But when a group of insurgents stormed into town on motorbikes and two armored tanks, most of the soldiers ran for dear lives.
The militants reportedly not only captured Gulak but also hauled away two trucks of high-grade ammunition abandoned by the fleeing soldiers and their brigade commander who was to lead the attack to recapture Madagali. Two soldiers based in Mubi, Borno State, told SaharaReporters that the militants were able to take Gulak without firing a shot as senior army officers fled from the advancing column of militants who attacked after early evening prayers.
Some of the soldiers questioned why Boko Haram insurgents often attack shortly after Nigerian troops receive a shipment of ammunition from Abuja. One of them said, “It is as if somebody tells them whenever there is movement of new weapons.”
Our senior military source acknowledged that serious problems exist in the war against Boko Haram, but insisted that the army was making plans to go on the offensive against Boko Haram. “We will use every means at our disposal to pursue them and drive them out,” he said.
Already the air fire power of the military has increased in frequency, a soldier told Saharareporters tonight that Boko Haram militants briefly withdrew from Michika after a military jet hovered over the town.