Soldiers Reportedly Flee After Boko Haram Raid On Borno Base, Kill Five
Following Monday’s attack by Boko Haram terrorists on a military base in Marte, Borno State, some soldiers are reportedly fleeing back to their villages.
The attack claimed the lives of five personnel.
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded the forward operating base in the early hours of Monday, overpowering soldiers on duty, looting weapons, and escaping with military vehicles.
Multiple military sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for lack of authorisation, said some of the soldiers who witnessed the attack had abandoned their posts and returned to their hometowns.
One of the sources said, “After the operation, they burnt everything. They destroyed all our facilities and carted away arms. They even left with our Commanding Officer’s vehicle. All the new motorbikes issued to us—they took them too.
“Some soldiers have dumped their arms, saying they’re no longer interested. They’re returning to their villages. One of them, whom we call Dangwari, is among those who left.”
Another source alleged that the attack was made possible by betrayal from within.
“A civilian Joint Task Force member, someone we trusted, sold us out. He led the insurgents to our camp. His name is Sharu. He was close to our adjutant and considered part of the team,” he said.
He added that residents in surrounding communities had fled to safer areas such as Dikwa, Lukumani, and Mafa, fearing further attacks.
“The insurgents might advance again if they detect low military presence in this region,” he warned.
Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar attributed the recent surge in insurgent attacks in Borno State to the ongoing instability in the wider Sahel region.
Abubakar, who spoke during a media briefing in Maiduguri, noted that the deterioration of security in neighbouring Sahel states had led to an influx of arms into Nigeria through porous borders, intensifying the insurgency in the North-East.
Despite the situation, Abubakar said the Nigerian Armed Forces were confident of winning the war eventually, noting, however, that the military may suffer some losses in the process.
“In war, you have several campaigns which are series of coordinated operations aimed at achieving strategic objectives. So, you win some, you lose some.”
But what’s most important is the ratio of what you win against what you lose,” he said.
Also, in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Dauda Illiya, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP in various parts of the state and urged residents to remain resilient and prayerful.
Zulum also extended his sympathy to the families of victims and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to working with the Federal Government, military, and security agencies to address the security challenges.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
