Nigerian military authorities have reacted to Wednesday attack in Adamawa state by the Islamist insurgents, Boko Haram, admitting 10 people died while a bank and filling stations were burnt.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday at the Defence headquarters in Abuja, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade, said six insurgents, one soldier and three civilians were killed during the attack.
“They have in the course of their flight towards various borders, continued to perpetrate mayhem as noticed in some parts of Adamawa state yesterday (Wednesday) night where they attacked communities.
“In desperation for money and food, they looted and burnt banks, shops and filling stations along their way through Michika as they headed for Cameroon border.
“Six of their fighters were killed two captured while nine of their vehicles were destroyed; one soldier and three civilians also died in the encounter,” Olukolade said.
The Defence Headquarters expressed grave concern over what it described as mindless killing of innocent school children and other citizens in towns and villages following terrorist activities in some parts of the north east.
Olukolade said, “Disturbing as this trend proves, the fact remains that the chilly episodes are simply typical of terrorists intention to intimidate the people into subscribing to their false claim to invincibility.
“This distressing situation notwithstanding, it must be pointed out that the current activities of the terrorist groups are actually at best a reaction to the renewed offensive against the terror outfit whose operatives had infiltrated the country to support their hitherto depleted membership and counterparts in their daring acts to reinvent relevance by embarking on renewed attacks on soft targets”.
The Defence spokesperson however assured that a specialized campaign aimed at dislodging the insurgents is being undertaken simultaneously in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States.
“This operation is also in furtherance of efforts at apprehending the terrorists and ensuring they do not escape out of Nigeria as they are now so desperate to do.
“It is believed that those involved in this latest attacks are the elements that perpetrated the mayhem against students of Federal Government College, BuniYadi, Yobe State and other places.
“They have been holed up and are still engaged in suicidal fighting apparently with a view to attaining martyrdom status, as troops close in on the die-hard ones among them.” Olukolade said.
He therefore called on the citizens in the three states, particularly towards border areas, to assist the security forces by reporting any movement of the group if noticed in their locality.
