Update on Boko Haram Invasion of Monguno and Gombe Barrack

Heavy fighting broke out on Saturday in Monguno, Borno State, which has been under Boko Haram control since August last year, in the bid of the military to flush out the militants in the town.

In a related development, the terrorists have attacked a military base in Gombe, in a renewed offensive to capture the Gombe State capital.
Military sources said the fighting is ongoing simultaneously on both fronts.
“The fighting is going on at the same time; federal troops have advanced on Monguno, to flush out the insurgents but the terrorists have attacked a military base in Gombe. We are dealing with the situations,” a source said.

One of our correspondents reports that in Gombe, the insurgents launched an early morning attack on Hina and Dadin Kowa in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the state but were repelled by the military.
They subsequently attacked the nearby Zambuk, but were again repelled.
At the time of filing this report, a fierce battle is ongoing between the terrorists and men of the Nigerian Army at the 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe, according to a resident, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on condition of anonymity.
He said, “Residents of the town are trembling as they remain indoors, praying hard for divine intervention in the matter.”
He added that gunshots were heard all over the town as security agents were working hard to restore normalcy.
Latest report from Gombe indicated that troops had successfully repelled the invaders from the town.
A soldier said the insurgents gained entered the barracks through a bush path around 5.30am.
They were said to have set ablaze the Quarter Guard before the federal troops overpowered them with the attendant casualties on the said of the rebels, and flushed them out by 12noon.
Meanwhile, Air Force helicopters are said to have pounded and successfully dislodged the Boko Haram fighters from Monguno.







 culled from punch newspaper