Nigerian Military Reclaims Bama After Battle With Boko Haram
Written by Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja), Iyabo Lawal (Ibadan) and Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri)
Nigerian Guardian
Fight rages in Gwoza, Gambouru, Wulgo
Jonathan leaves for Chad over to terrorism, others
AFTER a fierce battle, the nation’s military has reclaimed Bama town, Borno State from the terror group Boko Haram.
Boko Haram captured the area last Monday. But after aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)’s fighter jets, the military has reclaimed Bama. Sources confirmed this yesterday in Maiduguri, the state capital.
A military source said that the aerial bombardments were meant to destroy Boko Haram’s weapons and installations in the border town.
He said: “Our tactical aerial attacks to reclaim this town have been effective and yielding the desired results. This will enable the fleeing residents and villagers to return within the shortest period of time.”
But a source who was taking refuge in Maiduguri lamented the cost of the battle as it “took a heavy toll on civilian lives and property as the insurgents were said to be embedded with residents, allegedly used as human shields.”
On how Bama was reclaimed, the military source said: “The first attacks didn’t really make the expected impact but the second round of bombardments really injured those Boko Haram boys, which is why they are retreating now. They are now deeper into Bama, while our people are advancing and gaining territory. The Boko Haram boys are right now retreating.
“We are now dislodging them. You know, the air force has intensified its efforts; it brought F-7 and different kinds of aircraft. They really bombarded them.”
Another military source confirmed the advances of the armed forces in the battle of Bama but cautioned that it was no time for celebration yet, as the operation was still ongoing in several parts of the state.
He said the situation was “still very volatile” in Gwoza, Gambouru, Wulgo and one or two towns in northern Borno, were far from being liberated from the terrorists’ takeover in the last three months.
“We don’t want to say anything official but there are still fights going on in different places and on different scales, especially by air. This is a critical and unusual time,” the senior military officer said.
He also explained that apart from the aerial campaign in Bama, NAF had been effective in support of the ground forces with the launch of air attacks with different aircraft types, including helicopter gunships.
He said: “We are very deeply involved. You know what we are having here is a joint operation of the services, even though the navy may not be involved right now because of the terrain.
“First and foremost, apart from the airlift, we are equally supporting the ground forces; in most of the cases we even take the initiative. In modern warfare, the air force normally does the first dirty job, clear the road for the army to do the mop-up operations.
“Like I said, all our platforms are participating fully here. We have Alpha Jets, we have F7, Beechcraft, Mi35, which are the gunships, and then all our transport planes: C-130, the G TripleT. So we are participating fully and playing a significant role in that place.”
But a military intelligence source in Maiduguri said yesterday: “Gwoza is still a no-go area, I must tell you the truth, the town is firmly in hands of the Boko Haram terrorists. We are currently focusing on Bama before advancing to other areas in northern and southern parts of Borno State.”
Sources within the military blamed some of the difficulties being encountered in the fight against Boko Haram on what they termed indiscriminate retirement of experienced officers.
“Our capital city of Maiduguri is today facing a heavy influx of refugees from the local government areas in Borno. Borno citizens have been forced to take refuge in parts of Gombe and Adamawa states mainly on account of man’s inhumanity to fellow man in the gratuitous name of religion. These acts are absolutely condemnable in the strongest of terms,” said the military officer.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno in his statewide broadcast on Saturday said that in the history of the state since the 19th century, the latest insurgency was “not the first threat to our existence as a people. We had faced and survived threats in years past and we shall survive this by God’s willing.
“We are confident of victory through a reinforcement of our armed forces and the collective will of all of us, citizens, who are committed to defeating the Boko Haram scourge.”
In continuation of the government’s efforts to forge a stronger alliance against terrorism with Nigeria’s neighbours, President Goodluck Jonathan leaves Abuja today for Njamena, the Chadian capital.
While in Chad, Jonathan is expected to hold talks with his host President Idriss Deby to discuss how to further actualise parts of the agreements for greater cooperation against insurgents and terrorists reached by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroun at a meeting in Paris earlier this year.
A statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Reuben Abati, in Abuja yesterday said the talks in Ndjamena with Deby, who is also the current Chairman of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council followed their discussions in Nairobi last week on the sidelines of the council’s summit.
“Their talks are expected to lead to the strengthening of the Paris Accord on joint border patrols, intelligence sharing and the prevention of the illicit movement of terrorists, criminals, arms and ammunition across shared borders.
“Before returning to Abuja on Tuesday, Jonathan, who would be accompanied by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd); the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed and the Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, (NASRDA), Prof. Sheidu Mohammed, would be a special guest of honour at an international conference on Information Technology and Communication (ICT) holding in Ndjamena on the same day.
Meanwhile, the national leader of Accord party (AP) and former Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State yesterday declared that having exhausted all negotiation options, the Federal Government was set to overrun the Boko Haram insurgents at all costs.
The AP chieftain expressed confidence that the Boko Haram group would not be able to overrun the country.
Ladoja spoke in Ibadan after receiving the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who paid him a condolence visit at his Bodija residence over the death of his mother, Alhaja Alimat Ladoja.
As a member of the just-concluded national conference held in Abuja, Ladoja said the delegates recommended to Jonathan to negotiate with the terrorists but that if this failed, he should confront them with all the military might of the government.
“I believe that President Jonathan has started making good the recommendation. He told us that he had concluded negotiation processes with the Boko Haram. Since these failed, the second option is now the alternative. You can see that demonstrated in the recent ruthless attack on the insurgents when they wanted to take over Bama.
“Boko Haram cannot overrun the country. Security matters are not discussed on the pages of newspapers. Nigeria is not a small country that can be taken over by insurgents just like that. The Federal Government is not helpless as being insinuated. I believe strongly that the attacks by the Boko Haram would soon be over. I trust the military. I trust them that they will live up to expectation”, Ladoja said.
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| Homes damaged from fighting between Nigerian army and Boko Haram. |
Nigerian Guardian
Fight rages in Gwoza, Gambouru, Wulgo
Jonathan leaves for Chad over to terrorism, others
AFTER a fierce battle, the nation’s military has reclaimed Bama town, Borno State from the terror group Boko Haram.
Boko Haram captured the area last Monday. But after aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)’s fighter jets, the military has reclaimed Bama. Sources confirmed this yesterday in Maiduguri, the state capital.
A military source said that the aerial bombardments were meant to destroy Boko Haram’s weapons and installations in the border town.
He said: “Our tactical aerial attacks to reclaim this town have been effective and yielding the desired results. This will enable the fleeing residents and villagers to return within the shortest period of time.”
But a source who was taking refuge in Maiduguri lamented the cost of the battle as it “took a heavy toll on civilian lives and property as the insurgents were said to be embedded with residents, allegedly used as human shields.”
On how Bama was reclaimed, the military source said: “The first attacks didn’t really make the expected impact but the second round of bombardments really injured those Boko Haram boys, which is why they are retreating now. They are now deeper into Bama, while our people are advancing and gaining territory. The Boko Haram boys are right now retreating.
“We are now dislodging them. You know, the air force has intensified its efforts; it brought F-7 and different kinds of aircraft. They really bombarded them.”
Another military source confirmed the advances of the armed forces in the battle of Bama but cautioned that it was no time for celebration yet, as the operation was still ongoing in several parts of the state.
He said the situation was “still very volatile” in Gwoza, Gambouru, Wulgo and one or two towns in northern Borno, were far from being liberated from the terrorists’ takeover in the last three months.
“We don’t want to say anything official but there are still fights going on in different places and on different scales, especially by air. This is a critical and unusual time,” the senior military officer said.
He also explained that apart from the aerial campaign in Bama, NAF had been effective in support of the ground forces with the launch of air attacks with different aircraft types, including helicopter gunships.
He said: “We are very deeply involved. You know what we are having here is a joint operation of the services, even though the navy may not be involved right now because of the terrain.
“First and foremost, apart from the airlift, we are equally supporting the ground forces; in most of the cases we even take the initiative. In modern warfare, the air force normally does the first dirty job, clear the road for the army to do the mop-up operations.
“Like I said, all our platforms are participating fully here. We have Alpha Jets, we have F7, Beechcraft, Mi35, which are the gunships, and then all our transport planes: C-130, the G TripleT. So we are participating fully and playing a significant role in that place.”
But a military intelligence source in Maiduguri said yesterday: “Gwoza is still a no-go area, I must tell you the truth, the town is firmly in hands of the Boko Haram terrorists. We are currently focusing on Bama before advancing to other areas in northern and southern parts of Borno State.”
Sources within the military blamed some of the difficulties being encountered in the fight against Boko Haram on what they termed indiscriminate retirement of experienced officers.
“Our capital city of Maiduguri is today facing a heavy influx of refugees from the local government areas in Borno. Borno citizens have been forced to take refuge in parts of Gombe and Adamawa states mainly on account of man’s inhumanity to fellow man in the gratuitous name of religion. These acts are absolutely condemnable in the strongest of terms,” said the military officer.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno in his statewide broadcast on Saturday said that in the history of the state since the 19th century, the latest insurgency was “not the first threat to our existence as a people. We had faced and survived threats in years past and we shall survive this by God’s willing.
“We are confident of victory through a reinforcement of our armed forces and the collective will of all of us, citizens, who are committed to defeating the Boko Haram scourge.”
In continuation of the government’s efforts to forge a stronger alliance against terrorism with Nigeria’s neighbours, President Goodluck Jonathan leaves Abuja today for Njamena, the Chadian capital.
While in Chad, Jonathan is expected to hold talks with his host President Idriss Deby to discuss how to further actualise parts of the agreements for greater cooperation against insurgents and terrorists reached by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroun at a meeting in Paris earlier this year.
A statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Reuben Abati, in Abuja yesterday said the talks in Ndjamena with Deby, who is also the current Chairman of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council followed their discussions in Nairobi last week on the sidelines of the council’s summit.
“Their talks are expected to lead to the strengthening of the Paris Accord on joint border patrols, intelligence sharing and the prevention of the illicit movement of terrorists, criminals, arms and ammunition across shared borders.
“Before returning to Abuja on Tuesday, Jonathan, who would be accompanied by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd); the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed and the Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, (NASRDA), Prof. Sheidu Mohammed, would be a special guest of honour at an international conference on Information Technology and Communication (ICT) holding in Ndjamena on the same day.
Meanwhile, the national leader of Accord party (AP) and former Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State yesterday declared that having exhausted all negotiation options, the Federal Government was set to overrun the Boko Haram insurgents at all costs.
The AP chieftain expressed confidence that the Boko Haram group would not be able to overrun the country.
Ladoja spoke in Ibadan after receiving the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who paid him a condolence visit at his Bodija residence over the death of his mother, Alhaja Alimat Ladoja.
As a member of the just-concluded national conference held in Abuja, Ladoja said the delegates recommended to Jonathan to negotiate with the terrorists but that if this failed, he should confront them with all the military might of the government.
“I believe that President Jonathan has started making good the recommendation. He told us that he had concluded negotiation processes with the Boko Haram. Since these failed, the second option is now the alternative. You can see that demonstrated in the recent ruthless attack on the insurgents when they wanted to take over Bama.
“Boko Haram cannot overrun the country. Security matters are not discussed on the pages of newspapers. Nigeria is not a small country that can be taken over by insurgents just like that. The Federal Government is not helpless as being insinuated. I believe strongly that the attacks by the Boko Haram would soon be over. I trust the military. I trust them that they will live up to expectation”, Ladoja said.
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