Many Soldiers Feared Dead In Fresh Borno Attack , as Boko Haram flocked 40 abducted to Modube camp in Sambisa

By Blogger

Security sources in Borno State have yesterday confirmed a major attack by Boko Haram terrorists on the Multinational Joint Task Force base in the border town of Baga in Kukawa local government area of Borno State, where dozens of soldiers were said to have been killed.

This is as a credible security official in Maiduguri also confirmed the abduction of about 40 young men by the terrorists, who have created a new camp, known as Modube, close to the Sambisa forest.

Meanwhile, the top security personnel who pleaded anonymity in speaking about the attack on the multinational base said the development was being handled with top secrecy by the military authorities in the countries that constitute the Multinational Joint Task Force and that the attack was carried out at about 5am yesterday.

The source said the multinational joint task force which might have been taken unawares by the Boko Haram insurgents were “practically dislodged”.

“We had a very ugly development in Baga today (Saturday) morning, when the Boko Haram insurgents went and dislodged the Multinational Joint Task Force there. All we know for now that it was a bad outing for the soldiers, because the base was practically dislodged, but one cannot say specifically the extent of damage caused on the base and the personnel for now,” said the senior security official.

Baga is a fishing community of Borno State that borders Chad Republic. Boko Haram is said to have some of its secret camps along the border areas between Nigeria and Cameroon.

The Multinational Joint Task Force is the major military deployment that has been frustrating the activities of the terrorists in that area. But with the feared dislodgment of the soldiers there, the terrorists may continue to have a field day in that part of the country.

Baga town has suffered several attacks in the past two years, as Boko Haram terrorists continued to take attacks to the community killing civilians, mostly fishermen.It was reported that on November 21, 2014, Boko Haram terrorists practically ambushed and slit the throats of 48 fishermen during an attack that even the soldiers of the Multinational Joint Task Force were not aware of.

On the abduction of the 40 youths by Boko Haram, the security source said they were taken to a location called Modube, a new base of the sect.

“Our office had received the Intel that on January 1, 2015, at about 5pm, some Boko Haram gunmen had invaded one Malari village in Damboa local government area of Borno State, where they killed some of the villagers and abducted some youths, who might have been taken to one of Boko Haram’s hideouts known as Modube Camp,” said the source.

The security officer added that “Modube Camp is one of the new bases where the Boko Haram insurgents are hiding out”.

Lucky residents of Malari, who escaped the attack, said the Boko Haram gunmen had attacked their village shortly after the villagers had retired back to their homes and asked them to come out to listen to some sermons during which they shot some of them and forcefully took others away.

Bulama Malam, a middle-aged farmer, told journalists in Maiduguri on Friday that at least 40 youths were taken away from the village.

“They gathered many of us near the house of the village head, after telling us that they wanted to preach to us; and then, they began to select young men aged between 12 and 25,” he said.

“I was lucky to escape, because they only selected very young and able-bodied men.”