Nigerian troops kill 75 Boko Haram militants at PHCN facility in Borno

Culled from: SaharaReporters

At least 75 Boko Haram fighters were killed by Nigerian troops on Wednesday during a clash with the insurgents in Borno, security sources, and Power Holding Company of Nigeria staff have said.

SaharaReporters gathered that over hundred Boko Haram fighters stormed Bulaburin village to attack military men who escorted PHCN staff to repair power installations that were destroyed by insurgents six months ago in Damboa.

The militants came in a convoy of Hilux vehicles and motorcycles but met heavy resistance, a military source said.

A PHCN staff on assignment in the area told SaharaReporters that the military killed up to 75 militants during the encounter.

He added, "I am happy today because it would have been a black day for us at Bulaburin. We went to repair Maiduguri electrical infrastructure which had been shut down by militants since July as we were working  we started hearing sporadic gun shots, so the troops fought back. However, the intense fight affected our vehicles; we drove to Maiduguri on flat tyres" he said.

A security source told our reporter that the soldiers at the scene were at alerted immediately they were hinted that the Boko Haram were coming to attack them.

"Our soldiers climbed the telecom mast to see them, and behold they were coming in large numbers in Hilux pick up vans, motorcycles and cars. The soldiers waited for them, and when they came, they attacked them immediately," the security source said.