About 82 persons were killed on Sunday when Boko Haram made a second attempt within a week to capture Maiduguri, Borno State.
Security sources in the troubled city gave the figure just as a lone suicide bomber killed himself and seven others in front of the residence of a Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives candidate in Potiskum, Yobe State.
It was gathered that unlike last week’s incident when the insurgents were very close to Maiduguri before they were repelled, soldiers halted them almost 20 kilometres from the city.
Several weapons, arms and ammunition, including two Armoured Personnel Carriers, two artillery guns and 17 Toyota Hilux vans were seized from them, the Defence Headquarters said in a statement.
The DHQ had earlier in a tweet posted on the official twitter handle on Sunday said that the military inflicted a heavy casualty on the militants.
Security sources in Maiduguri had told journalists that 10 civilians and two soldiers were among the 82 persons killed in the gunfire.
They said the insurgents were approaching Maiduguri from four major points – Ngom, Dalwa, Molai and Jawuri- when they were confronted by troops backed by two Nigerian Air Force fighter jets which carried out bombardment of their locations.
The sources said that 50 of the insurgents were killed in Dalwa, where the gun battle was fiercest. The remaining 20 met their waterloo in Ngom, Molai and Jawari.
But a member of a youth vigilante group, Abba Modu, who claimed to have been involved in the battle, said he believed that 500 Boko Haram members must have been killed.
He added that five soldiers were injured.
The spokesman for the youth vigilante group in Borno State, Jubrin Gunda, said, “It was a great battle with them at Dalwa, about 20 kilometers from Maiduguri where many of them were killed. Others ran into the bushes.”
Another of the group, Abba Ibrahim, said the insurgents struck a few minutes after the early morning Islamic prayers.
He said, “The insurgents attacked from Ngom (the border with Mafa), Dalwa (the border with Konduga), Molai (the border with Damboa) and Jawuri (around Njimtilo, border with Kaga on the Damaturu Road).
“They launched two rocket propelled grenades into Gindari Polo area killing many civilians. But they were successfully repelled by the military in conjunction with members of the youth vigilante. Some youths also came out in their numbers to push back the insurgents.
“We killed many of them but others ran away through the railway heading to Benesheikh and Goniri.”
A resident of Molai, Garba Molai, said they were told by soldiers around 6pm to flee their homes so that they could engage the insurgents without any hindrance.
He added that the military, the civilian JTF and SARS assisted by fighter jets successfully repelled the terrorists.
Molai said, “Many insurgents were killed. Some civilians were also killed while two artillery vehicles, vans, motorcycles and other arms and ammunition were recovered.
“Many people have also fled the town except a few of us that assisted the security operatives.”
Elijah Bwala of Damboa village said on the telephone “the insurgents attacked a pure water factory, Kuru Pure Water, with an RPG which killed four persons.”
Bwala lamented that Sunday service in his church was abruptly stopped when worshippers started hearing gunshots.
It was learnt that during the fighting, a 70-year-old man, his granddaughter and a little girl were killed by a tree branch struck down by a stray RPG in Zannari, Abuja Sheraton in Maisandari ward of Maiduguri.
The DHQ in its tweet on Sunday did not give the exact number of those killed in the operation.
“Flash: Attack on Maiduguri successfully repelled. Many terrorists were killed as we inflicted heavy casualties on them,” the tweet read.
It later said in a statement by its Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade, that the operation was part of the comprehensive military mission carried out in collaboration with Nigeria’s neighbours.
The statement read in part, “The terrorists, who in their disarray strayed towards Bama, Ngom, Alou, Delwa and Mafa in the night, have now been effectively contained. “The affected locations have been secured and soldiers wounded are being treated.
“Patrols and pursuit of fleeing terrorists is continuing in coordination with allied forces.
“Meanwhile, the terrorists attack on Maiduguri in the early hours of Sunday was quickly contained. The terrorists incurred massive casualty. The situation is calm as mopping up operation in the affected area is ongoing.”
The DHQ said that the current operation being carried out with the MNJTF was meant to engage the terrorists in all fronts in the area.
It stated that comprehensive military action involved inputs from the Armed Forces of the countries in the Chad Basin such as Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.
Twin suicide bombings kill five in Gombe
Twin bomb explosions also rocked Gombe metropolis in Gombe State, killing five persons, including the bombers.
The state Police command spokesman, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the bomb attacks but said investigations were ongoing.
The first blast was at the gate of the old Gombe Market while the second was at the timber market which is directly behind the 301 Artillery Regiment Quarter Guard of the Nigerian Army and close to a military checkpoint.
In the market explosion, a man and woman believed to be the suicide bombers were involved.
They were said to have alighted from a motorcycle at the main gate but declined to submit themselves for a search by guards.
A source said as they headed back to where their motorcycle was parked, explosives hidden inside a food flask carried by the woman went off, killing them and injuring one of the guards.
A kiosk owner, a food vendor and an on-looker were said to have been killed in the second incident. Many people, including a soldier, sustained injuries.
The state Police Command has however banned the use of motorcycles in Gombe from Sunday(yesterday) till Wednesday because of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in the city.
Also in Abuja, the PDP praised the gallantry of officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces for repelling insurgents.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said in a statement on Sunday, that the members of the armed forces had shown exceptional patriotism while risking their lives to protect those of other citizens.
He said what was needed at this point in time was “for all Nigerians to close ranks and support them with words of encouragement, prayers and helpful information where necessary.”
Metuh said, “This is no longer the time to dwell on politics or engage in unnecessary blame games. We cannot continue to seek political capital while terrorists slaughter and maim our people.
“To win this battle therefore, all citizens must come together, stand with our government and the military and present a common front against terrorism irrespective of our religious, political and ethnic differences.”
The Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri on Sunday lamented the effects of the Boko Haram activities on the city.
The Diocese, in a statement by its Head, Directorate of Communication, Rev. Fr. Gideon Obasogie, said it was unfortunate that Christians had for the second time not had the opportunity of not worshipping on Sunday.
The statement entitled, “A culture of savagery and blood bath,” read, “Residents of Maiduguri are really having a hard time in the face of the Boko Haram slaughter. The attacks have become ever frequent as they have drawn close to the city.
“Christians in the capital city are really paying the prize for their faith. This is the second Sunday when we have been forced either to attend Mass/ Sunday service lately or never to attend at all.
“We cannot even have a sound gathering on a Sunday to thank God for his love thus far and most particularly to pray for peaceful elections. The threats and distractions have become totally unbearable.
“The ferocious attempt by the unrepentant radical Islamist militants to overrun the capital city of Maiduguri has been very frightening. We wonder and sometimes, we think aloud when all these runnings will stop. When will this culture of savagery and bloodletting end. Is it that as a nation we lack the inner capacity to abate it?” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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