Boko Haram attacks soldiers at Borno checkpoint

Soldiers at a checkpoint in Monguno, a town in Borno state, are currently under Boko Haram attack.

A security source told TheCable that the insurgents stormed the town around 12:30pm on Saturday and opened fire on soldiers at a checkpoint in the town.

The soldiers reportedly responded but the insurgents who had sneaked into the town were said to have overpowered them.

The security operatives were said to have retreated to the headquarters of sector 3 where they reinforced.

The insurgents and the soldiers are currently exchanging gunfire, while many residents have fled into the bush.

There are many internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the town and a source said the insurgents have infiltrated IDP camps but TheCable cannot independently verify this.

Air force jets are currently hovering over the town while soldiers are on the ground engaging the insurgents in  a gun battle.

When contacted, Musa Sagir, spokesman of the army, referred TheCable to the defence media operations.

The attacks comes two days after Boko Haram killed over 70 people at Faduma Kolomdi village in Gubio local government area of Borno.

Despite repeated attacks, the federal government has maintained that it is winning the war against insurgency.

In his Democracy Day broadcast, President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has “considerably downgraded” Boko Haram.

Buhari added that all forms of crimes across the country had also been reduced.

Editor’s note: This picture was used for illustrative purposes