Nigerian troops lose ₦15 million to Boko Haram in ambush

Nigerian troops lose ₦15 million to Boko Haram in ambush
WhatsApp
Facebook
Twitter
Telegram
LinkedIn
Print
Boko Haram insurgents on Friday ambushed Nigerian troops in Damaturu, Yobe State and stole fifteen million naira and a cache of weapons, military sources told The Guardian.

A gun truck was also taken away by the insurgents.

The troops, Super Camp 3 and the 231 Battalion, came under the attack around Azare-Kamuya axis in the southeastern state.

The terrorist group allegedly fled after an immediate reinforcement from the 27 Task Force Brigade in Damaturu.

The sum of #15,492,000 was meant for the troop’s ration cash allowance on the frontlines, a source said.

Although it is unclear which faction the terrorist belonged to, the attack was carried out the same day the factional leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau released a new video, reiterating his resolve to continue his insurgent against Nigeria.

Read Also: Why war against Boko Haram may not end soon – Borno Gov.

In the twenty-six minutes video seen by The Guardian, a visibly ageing Shekau reiterated his anti-government messages and distastes for Western influence.

But an analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Audu Bukarti said “video is intended to recruit fighters, funders and sympathizers.

“It demonstrates that Shekau is alive and that he’s committed to his group’s ideology as always.”

Boko Haram split into two factions in mid-2016. One is led by Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawi and largely focuses on attacking military and government targets, while the other, led by Abubakar Shekau, is notorious for suicide bombings and indiscriminate killings of civilians.

Shekau has pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, but ISIS central gave its formal backing to the Barnawi faction, which is known as Islamic State West Africa province.

Nigeria’s government and military have repeatedly insisted Boko Haram has been degraded but multiple attacks from insurgent group suggests otherwise.(The Guardian)

WhatsApp
Facebook
Twitter
Telegram
LinkedIn
Print