Boko Haram militants yesterday seized Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State, security sources and local authorities have said.
It is the first time the insurgents have taken over a Nigerian territory since the expiration of the emergency rule last week.
The militants, according to sources, hoisted their flag hours after a fierce battle with troops at the local market.
Details on casualty were not clear at press time, but sources said the militants went to the centre of the market brandishing their assault rifles.
A source said they destroyed vital structures in the town, including the market, the local government secretariat and houses of prominent people.
The insurgents reportedly divided themselves into various groups, some pretended to be merchants and concealed guns and explosives in their luggage. Others remained at the outskirts of the town but later stormed the market area when soldiers were trying to repel those already killing people at the market.
Damasak is a farming and fishing community located along the confluence between River Yobe and the Kumadugu-Gana River, not far from the border between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
It is the latest town to be taken by the Boko Haram who have established their authority in some major towns in the state including Gwoza, Bama, Gamboru-Ngala, Dikwa, Mafa as well as some surrounding villages.
“Sadly, the report we have is that the Boko Haram terrorists are still in Damasak…they have captured the town,” a security source said.
“What is not clear is whether they would remain there or leave in the coming hours but our troops have retreated for tactical reasons,” another security source said.
Trapped residents told our correspondent on phone that the insurgents had their way in Damasak around 5pm yesterday.
“We are hiding and gunshots are still ongoing,” Bukar Aliyu, a senior local official in Damasak said.
“Before the arrival of security forces, the terrorists had already killed many traders, I don’t know how many,” he said.
Mohammed Damasak, who works with the local government, also told the French news agency AFP that the gunmen concealed their weapons in containers brought to the market.
“They pretended to be traders but sadly inflicted horror. Many traders escaped with bullet wounds while many are lying dead at the market,” he added.
Trouble started around 11am when the militants, disguised as traders, opened fire on unsuspecting traders at the Damasak township market, drawing the attention of security operatives. Many people had gathered for the day’s business at the market when they began shooting. Last week, the militants killed nearly 100 people in separate attacks in Mafa and Kukawa local government areas of Borno State.
The Defence Spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, was not available for comment yesterday
.
It can be recalled that the request by President Goodluck Jonathan to have the emergency rule extended in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states suffered a setback last week when both the Senate and the House of Representatives failed to approve it. The emergency rule ended effectively last Thursday.
Our correspondent reports that with the elapse of the emergency rule last week, the letter requesting for extension is also ineffective as the constitution provides that an extension of the state of emergency must be approved before the previous approval expired. House spokesman Zakari Mohammed told journalists that the lower chamber would not consider the matter till members returned, but said President Jonathan could use his constitutional powers to deploy more troops to the insurgency-hit areas.
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Where are the hunters? Afterall they are better than our military
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