Boko Haram attacks army barracks again

A major battle ensued early Friday when Boko Haram insurgents attacked military barracks in Bama, 78 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Defence Headquarters said it had dispatched more troops to enhance the operation in pursuit of the terrorists that carried out the attack.

Director, Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, confirmed the attack by terrorists, who came from cells located across Nigeria/Cameroon border through Banki town. He, however, said normalcy was being restored in the barracks, just as the surrounding communities were being properly secured.

Olukolade said high calibre weapons such as anti-aircraft and rocket-propelled guns were freely used in the attack that lasted several hours.

Many women and children were feared killed in the gun battle that left some parts of the barracks torched, a source told Saturday Tribune, while adding that many of the insurgents were killed.

Olukolade, however, disclosed that ground troops backed by the Air Force had repelled the attack and are in pursuit of the insurgents. He added that details of casualties recorded in the incident would be officially released when the ongoing cordon-and-search operations in the general area were concluded.

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, went into an emergency meeting with service chiefs in respect of the latest attack in Bama. He had been scheduled to preside over the decoration of 48 newly promoted Generals in the army, navy and air force, but instead went into a meeting with the service chiefs.