An estimated 700 soldiers are missing with more than 2,000 trapped
following a Boko Haram attack on Thursday that culminated in the loss of
Baga, a town in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, by the
Nigerian Army.
A faction of the insurgents loyal to Abu Musab
al-Barnawi attacked Baga, lying northeast of Kukawa, and succeeded in
dislodging the soldiers and hoisting their flags.
According to an
aid worker who spoke with SaharaReporters, “a large number of soldiers
are still missing and many others are trapped.”
“Boko haram has
taken over Baga town,” said the source. “More than 2,000 troops are
there trapped, and 700 are missing. [Air Force] jets cannot do anything
now because the soldiers are trapped in their midst”.
SaharaReporters
could not independently verify the figures being mentioned, but a
security source said it was “highly possible”, considering Baga is the
headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) — a formation
comprising units, mostly military, from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
and Nigeria, and boasting between 7,500 and 10,000 personnel.
A security source confirmed the attack and the disappearance of “a high number of soldiers”.
“So
many soldiers, likely in their hundreds, are missing,” he said. “Even
the Baga Brigade Commander is back in Maiduguri, which means he must
have escaped when he saw that his team was overwhelmed.”
The source also confirmed that the insurgents set the MNJTF headquarters ablaze, and made away with military equipment.
The Army, though, continues to deny that the town has been overrun by insurgents.
In a statement released on Friday, Sani Usman, Director of Army Public Relations, said the sidurgents were the ones fleeing.
“Please
recall that yesterday, Wednesday 26th December 2018 suspected Boko
Haram terrorists attacked the headquarters of 7 Brigade Multinational
Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Baga, Borno State, at about 7.00pm,” he said
in a statement.
“The troops along with their Nigerian Navy
counterparts put up a very determined fight to repel the attack
throughout the night, while Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE sent in
reinforcement who are in hot pursuit of the terrorists. Similarly, a
Search and Rescue team has been constituted.
“The Nigerian Air
Force component has also been mobilised and are engaging the fleeing
terrorists. Unfortunately, a naval personnel was killed in action. So
far, no further details of casualties yet as efforts are ongoing to
clear the terrorists hiding in Baga and environs.”
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