Following the attempt by some Boko Haram elements to overrun Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Tuesday, the police anti-terrorists squad said they have successfully neutralised over 16 of them, while many others escaped with gunshot wounds.
The insurgents at the beginning of the Ramadan fasting promised not to attack during the period but failed to keep to their promise.
DAILY POST reports that insurgents on gun truck and motorcycles came into Maiduguri through Jiddari Polo axis with the intention of overrunning the city as Muslims prepared to break their fast as well as making last minutes preparation for the celebrations of sallah but meet their waterloo as a team of police anti-terrorists squad got some intelligence ahead of their coming.
“It was a bad day for the terrorists but we are also scared to death as we were trapped in between flying bullets in our house. The terrorists have passed our house and we first thought they were soldiers but soon we realised that it was the Boko Haram insurgents,” a resident of Maiduguri told newsmen.
The anti-terrorists squad team led by CSP Mohammed Ibrahim said they got the filers and waited for them to come but the fight was fierce until reinforcement came in a joint force, which pushed the terrorists out of the city.
The police boss said the terrorists came with armored personnel carriers and began shooting sporadically to scare residents and create confusion in the city but failed to operate on good strategy as police operatives opened fire on them from all directions, leaving them to scamper for safety.
“Immediately the terrorists sighted the police team, they attempted to escape. While pursuing them, the police armored personnel carrier overran and killed some of them on the spot.
“We counted at least eight dead bodies while many others were scattered to pieces. As we speak, their bodies are at Jidari Polo. It was actually a bad outing for the terrorists,” the Police boss added.
Troops push Boko Haram out of Maiduguri
By Duku JOEL, Maiduguri
A combined troops of ground and air component of Operation Lafiya Dole on Tuesday evening pushed Boko Haram fighters out of Maiduguri after the insurgents lunched a heavy attack on Jidari Polo area of the city.
The insurgents, according to residents, came into the area and started shooting recklessly and throwing explosive devices in different directions.
Some of the residents informed the insurgents were throwing grenade rockets launchers into civilian residences, causing fear and panic.
The attack, which started around 5.30pm close to the break of the Muslim fast, caught other residents unawares as some of them were returning from markets or work.
No official statement has been issued by police and Army authorities but a security source informed there was a heavy re-enforcement of troops from Giwa military barrack, which is not far from the area of the attack.
The source also disclosed the Air Force component of Operation Lafiya Dole was deployed to the scene,which helped in calming the situation down.
“As we speak, the situation has been calmed down with the heavy re-enforcement of ground troops from Giwa Barracks and the air component of Operation Lafiya Dole. We have pushed them out of the area as we speak,” the source informed.
Our correspondent gathered many residents of Jidari have fled into the city centre while other are hiding in their houses.
“Many people have fled the area. There was pandemonium with the heavy exchange of gunfire in the fight. Many people were also stuck in traffic as they tried to leave the area because of the bad road network in the area,” a resident, Ahmed Gana informed.
Isa, a member of the civil JTF, informed that he saw four teenage Boko Haram fighters lying dead.