SAN FRANCISCO, December 28, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Army has insisted that Baga, a town in Borno state, is under control even though a fierce battle with Boko Haram fighters is still in progress.
Major General Lamidi Adeosun, the Army’s Chief of Training and Operations made this known during a press conference at the headquarters of the theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole.
The Army’s statement comes amid rumours that elements of the Boko Haram Jihadist group had taken over Baga.
Earlier reports revealed that one Naval officer was killed as military personnel engaged the terrorists who attacked the headquarters of 7 Brigade Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Baga, Borno State.
The Nigerian Army had on Wednesday reported that its troops were engaging jihadists in Baga, however, the details of the guffaw at the time was sketchy.
In an update statement on Thursday by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, the army said the troops along with their Nigerian Navy counterparts put up a very determined fight to repel the attack throughout the night.
The Army spokesman further informed that “Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE sent in reinforcement” who went into “hot pursuit of the terrorists”.
According to the statement by Sani, Director of Army Public Relations, a search, and rescue team was constituted.
He said the Nigerian Air Force component had since been mobilised and are engaging the fleeing terrorists.
However, reports making the rounds had it that Boko Haram sacked two military bases in northeast Nigeria overnight as the jihadist fighters battled for control of a strategic town on Lake Chad.
Military sources were quoted by AFP as saying on Thursday that the Jihadists from the IS-supported Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) overran a naval base and a multinational joint task force (MNJTF) post in the fishing town of Baga after a fierce battle.
According to the sources who spoke to AFP, Fighters in several vehicles stormed Baga and engaged troops in intense fighting at the MNJTF base which hosts units from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
The insurgents also sacked a naval base in Mile 3 which lies five kilometres from Baga, a military source who asked not to be identified told AFP.
“The troops were overpowered and forced to withdraw,” the source, adding that “the terrorists carted away guntrucks, ammunition and multiple rocket launchers from the base.”
Troops from the two bases withdrew to another naval base at Fish Dam on the shores of Lake Chad, the military source said.
That base was well secured, and resisted several attempts by Boko Haram fighters to overrun it, the source added.
The jihadists then retreated and the troops decided not to pursue them to avoid running into an ambush, a strategy Boko Haram often employs against the military, the officer said.
Boko Haram has repeatedly struck military outposts in the region in recent months.
In January 2015, Boko Haram overran the MNJTF base and took control of Baga after killing hundreds of residents.
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