A military source has confirmed that the Boko Haram Islamist sect in Yobe State killed over 10 soldiers, including several civilians, on Monday. Yobe State is believed to be the ‘second hub’ of Boko Haram where they are noted for being seen and moving about openly, even in broad daylight. It is considered a ‘safe area’ for the group coming after neighboring Borno State, their home base.
The insurgents, according to the military source, attacked a military facility at Buni Yadi on Monday evening, and without provocation, had opened fire on them. The military returned the gunfire, and SaharaReporters was told, had successfully repelled them. Eyewitnesses say it was a heavy exchange of gunfire that continued well into the night, and had lasted at least three hours.
Buni Yadi is located in the Gujba local government area of Yobe state. The military facility, sources told SaharaReporters, is also located close to a police facility.
The Boko Haram sect went into the town under the cover of darkness, wearing green colored military uniforms without insignia, with heavily armed vans, and also had the use of a tank, which was used to force their way into the military base.
Sources said the sect militants burnt down the palace of the district head, court and Divisional Police headquarters.Among the victims are the Divisional Police Officer, Divisional Crime Officer and at least 12 other policemen that were killed in the attack.
Military officials, and spokesmen who brief the news media on direct engagement with the Boko Haram, are strangely silent on this Monday evening attack. A SaharaReporters source said that they are not passing along any information to the press regarding the Monday fire fight with the Boko Haram, at this time.
Aside from the SaharaReporters source that confirmed ten dead military personnel, no other information following the attack, including the scores of suspected wounded military personnel among their ranks, has been issued.
At press time residents in the Gujba local government area are stunned, and tensions remain high in the town of Buni Yadi, with the fear of yet another impending attack by the Islamist group arriving at any time. Not helping frayed nerves says a SaharaReporters source, is the behavior of local police, and especially, the military. Sources say confidence among local residents is at a low, with the local military remaining tight-lipped over additional security measures that may be taken in the aftermath of a dramatic late night attack that has left at least ten dead.
