Insurgents attack Borno town with ’15 gun trucks’, set houses ablaze

Suspected fighters of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) are currently attacking Damboa, Borno state.

Damboa is about 90 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital.

The insurgents came in through the Biu-Damboa road around 7pm on Thursday.

Sources from the community, who spoke with TheCable from where they were hiding, said they counted about 15 gun trucks when the insurgents invaded the area.

“Normal activities were ongoing when we started hearing sporadic gunshots this evening,” a source said.

“We earlier suspected their movement around Sabongari on that Biu-Damboa road before they eventually got here. We can’t say if there are casualties as the attack is ongoing.

“The insurgents have a stronghold around the Biu-Damboa road. In fact, sometimes, their fighters mount checkpoints along that road.”

TheCable understands that troops from the Nigerian Army’s 25 task force brigade in Damboa are already engaging the insurgents.

The insurgents are also currently setting houses ablaze in the area.

The attack on Damboa comes a day after Kwada, a community in Chibok LGA, a neighbouring LGA to Damboa, was also attacked.

Residents of the community who spoke with TheCable said the insurgents first attacked a company of soldiers stationed in the town before descending on the residents.

The soldiers were deployed from the 117 task force brigade in Chibok.

Onyema Nwachukwu, army’s spokesperson, was not immediately available to comment on the attack.

However, a security agent in the area who spoke with TheCable, said the troops are putting in their best to repel the attack, but would need air support.

“We’ve been calling for air support as this would help us to push these guys out,” the officer said.