ISWAP fighters arrested as troops repel attack on Yobe town

Troops of the Nigerian army have repelled an attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA of Yobe state.

Bukar Bulama, a resident of Buni Yadi, told TheCable that the insurgents attacked the town in armoured trucks on Sunday evening.

Bulama said the troops, with the help of the hunters, were able to repel the attack.

He said five of the insurgents were arrested and an armoured truck was recovered. 

“They attacked the town around 3:50 in the evening but the Nigerian troops with the help of the vigilantes were able to withstand the attack,” he told TheCable.

“They were able to arrest five of the fighters and drove away the others before they could lay siege on the town.

“No resident of Buni Yadi was wounded or killed as the security personnel were able to come to their aid before such could happen.”

The attack comes a few weeks after a similar incident happened in the town. On December 1, troops of the Nigerian army had neutralised an attack from suspected ISWAP fighters, recovering gun trucks.

Buni Yadi came into the limelight in 2014 after Boko Haram insurgents killed 58 male students of the town’s Federal Government College.