Nigeria: Boko Haram militants attack, burn down military base ⁰

The Boko Haram terrorist group has attacked and set a military base in northeastern Nigeria on fire, raising fears of a reemergence of the Daesh-linked outfit. Armed men from a Boko Haram faction on Thursday staged an attack on the military base in the Wajirko Village, 150 kilometers from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.

“The gunmen arrived in pickups and engaged soldiers in the base just outside the village in a heavy shootout,” a local resident Bukar Maduye told media. “The soldiers were outgunned and forced to withdraw from the base and allowed the gunmen, who were from Mamman Nur faction, to take over the base, which they looted and set on fire,” he said.

A member of a vigilante group, which is assisting the military in its battle against Boko Haram terrorists, confirmed the incident, adding that the soldiers at the base had moved to another military base 40 kilometers away. “There were no reports of casualties from either side but the base was completely burnt by the Boko Haram terrorists and the soldiers fled,” said Mustapha Karimbe. On Wednesday, Boko Haram militants attacked Abbati, a farming community outside Maiduguri, where they killed seven men and stole 360 heads of livestock.

In recent weeks, the Takfiri militants have intensified their attacks in areas near Lake Chad, stealing food from residents after raiding their farms. They have also killed several civilians they accused of cooperating with the military.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power in 2015 with a pledge to eradicate Boko Haram, claims to have prevailed over Boko Haram’s militancy; however, frequent deadly attacks in the West African country indicate otherwise. In its fight against Boko Haram, the Nigerian military is being assisted by troops from neighboring countries such as Chad and Cameroon.

Presstv