Kano - Troops battled scores of Boko Haram
fighters outside the northeastern city of
Bauchi on Sunday, residents and a military
source told AFP.
Soldiers supported by two fighter jets
intercepted the militants who were in 20
pick-up trucks at Dungulbe village, seven
kilometres (four miles) from the city, and
engaged them in fierce fighting.
"The fighter jets are pounding the enemy
position while ground troops are engaging
them," said a military officer in the city, who
asked not to be identified, in an account
supported by residents.
"The operation is still ongoing but the
terrorists have suffered serious losses and
are in disarray," the officer added.
The fighting was taking place as Nigeria was
holding a second day of voting in its general
election after technology failures hampered
polling on Saturday.
The Islamists arrived in the village around
10:00 am (0900 GMT) and set up camp in
preparation for an invasion of the city, said
Dungulbe resident Mudassir Hambali, who
fled to Bauchi.
"They came in 20 vehicles carrying heavy
weapons. As soon as I realised what was
happening I fled through the bus with my
family.
"I saw a large convoy of soldiers heading
towards the village while I and my family
were trekking to Bauchi."
Anas Uballe, from Inkil village, two
kilometres from Dungulbe, said: "I saw two
military jets dropping bombs and the huge
explosions terrified our village which forced
us to move into the city."
The militants were believed to have come
through the town of Alkaleri, 60 kilometres
away, where there was a dawn raid on
Saturday, according to the military source
and residents who fled.
Gunmen in several vehicles attacked public
buildings and security checkpoints.
A police station, the office of the
paramilitary Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence force and the local electoral
commission premises were all burned to the
ground.
"They moved to Bishi, 35 kilometres away,
where they shot dead a man in his car on
the highway," said Alkaleri resident Babale
Shehu.
"They were no doubt the same gunmen that
went to Dungulbe."
The gunmen also on Sunday attacked polling
stations and destroyed ballot boxes in
Bauchi, state police spokesman Haruna
Mohammed said.
"Today... at about 0025 hours, unspecified
numbers of unknown gunmen in a convoy of
over 10 vehicles stormed many polling units
in Kirfi... and destroyed many electoral
materials," he said.
"(The) hoodlums further attacked Kirfi and
Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters but
were repelled and pursued towards Dindima
town."
The police statement did not mention Boko
Haram or the operation in Dungulbe, which
comes after at least seven people were killed
in suspected Boko Haram attacks in
neighbouring Gombe state Saturday.
"The entire surroundings has been cordoned
off by combined security forces and effort is
being intensified to restore normalcy in the
area," said Haruna.
Comments
Post a Comment