SAN FRANCISCO, September 13, (THEWILL) – Indications emerged on Friday that Boko Haram members may be running out of food and cash and may just be desperate in attacking for survival.
The Nigerian Army, which gave the indications, said recent attacks on some isolated locations in Borno State by the Boko Haram gunmen were out of desperation for food and cash.
Also disclosing that the insurgents had in the past resorted to cannibalism and armed robbery,the Army said the Boko Haram gunmen have been going from one village to the other rampaging for food and cash.
Spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said in a statement on Friday that Boko Haram was behind a letter to Dikwa market demanding N1 million from traders to enable them purchase food items and other logistic or face their wrath.
According to the Army spokesman, in one of the numerous attacks at about 11:35 hours on September 12, “some troops of Banking Forward Operating Base on a mission to 202 Battalion Bama, on their way back to Banki encountered some Bomo Haram terrorists along Bama-Banki road carrying out armed robbery activities on innocent traders and travelers.
“The terrorists had killed three passengers and collected unspecified amount of cash and food items during the robbery incident.”
Musa disclosed that in the ensuing confrontation between the insurgents and military, several Boko Haram members lost their lives.
Musa said the recent upsurge in the attack by the sect was as a result of “the ongoing 7 Division Nigerian Army combat operations in Borno state targeted at Boko Haram bases and enclaves in the rural communities of Bama, Damboa and Gajiram which led to the destruction of some camps and the riotous dispersal of Boko Haram terrorists to different locations and some have fallen back to a few new but currently identified bases or enclaves from where they come out and attack residences of innocent civilians and market areas.”
According to him, “The recent distressed attacks on isolated villages in some agrarian areas of Northern Borno State brings to the fore the blatant desperation of Boko Haram terrorists in search for food items, cash for survival and sustenance of their sacrilegious activities.”
The Army spokesman however assured Nigerians that the Army was on top of the situation,saying they need not be afraid.
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