Troops ‘foil’ Boko Haram attack on Bama

Nigerian troops on Saturday foiled a Boko Haram attack on Bama, the second largest town in Borno, the Nigerian defence headquarters has said.

According to a statement on the NDHQ Facebook page Saturday evening, many of the Boko Haram militants died in the unsuccessful plot to recapture Bama.

“An attack by a band of terrorists on parts of Bama was this morning quelled after a score of them died while others fled with wounds,” the statement said.

“Many more of the attacking terrorists also died as the air force patrol went after the fleeing ones. Pursuit is still ongoing while calm has been restored and troops maintain firm control of Bama.”

It also disclosed that a Hilux vehicle as well as other military equipment were captured from the attackers.

However, the Nigerian military had a single casualty while seven soldiers were wounded.

“They have been evacuated from the combat area by air and are already receiving medical attention,” it said.

The Nigerian military added that most towns slated to be cleared of the militants in the northeast had already been covered while “the campaign to rid the rest of the communities of them was continuing with air and land operations now stepped up in the remaining designated locations in the mission area.”

“Cordon and search of cleared communities are also ongoing with some discoveries of weapons and vestiges of atrocities committed by the terrorists while they held sway in some locations,” it said.

Nigerian troops retook Bama from Boko Haram last week.