Attacks by Boko Haram insurgents on Bama in Borno State ,North East Nigeria on Monday are “being repelled”,the Defence Headquarters,DHQ said .
DHQ gave this indication on its twitter handle on Monday, but it could not give details of the casualty figures immediately.
“#Bama attack is being repelled. We cannot state casualty situation/figures now. Everything necessary will be done to contain the Terrorists”, DHQ said in its tweet.
Boko Haram’s growing attacks came on the heels of its capture of Gwoza which it has declared part of a caliphate.The insurgents are believed to have been attacking neighbouring village and towns.
Residents spoke of heavy casualty “We heard that there are many casualties on both sides, but we cannot say the number or who had suffered more damage between the troops and the terrorists”,a source said said .
“There are rumours that the soldiers were able to repell the attack in the first place, and many Boko Haram terrorists were killed and about 31 of them arrested alive. But the insurgents later mobilized and returned to Bama and they are currently engaging the soldiers in Bama. Most of the residents had been on the run from through Konduga to Maiduguri”,he said further
There were reports also that Boko Haram may be planning to attack Maiduguri town after finishing with Bama town.
Fighting in Bama had forced t residents to flee into Maiduguri even as some said they were advised by soldiers to leave the town because the engagement with the insurgents might involve air strike as well.
A fleeing resident of Bama one Mohammed Bunu Ahmed told journalists at Bama motor park on Monday that “there was an attempt by the Boko Haram people to enter and capture Bama as they did in Gwoza some weeks back, but thank God for the efforts of the soldiers stationed near the mobile police unit who were able to repel them.
“The situation had actually scared many of our people and even forced some of them to run to Maiduguri town for safety”, he said.
Another fleeing resident of Bama who spoke to journalists but begged not to be mentioned by name said, “our security forces are good fighters. I think they were given the privilege to fight these bad elements or they are trying to write wrong the reports that they have been running away from the Boko Haram. I saw a Mopol who was wounded and was being taken to hospital in Maiduguri, but I did not see any casualty on the side of the security operatives before help come to us and we left the town.”
Reports said that there had been heightened fear in Maiduguri metropolis over the weekend as residents were terrified over a likely attack by the insurgents
That may explain why the authorities at the 7 Division headquarters of the Nigerian Army, Monday reviewed and extended the curfew hour from nine nocturnal hours to 12 hourswhich now includes everybody .
The extension of curfew hours was announced in a statement signed by the Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, and made available to journalists in Maiduguri Monday said.
The statement said “with effect from today (Monday) , curfew hours imposed on Maiduguri metropolis and environs have been reviewed forward. It is now to last from 7 pm to 6 am daily. All must comply with this directive. Any one found flouting this directive will be arrested and prosecuted”.
However, this in tensified fighting continues amid silence by the presidency over revelations by, Dr. Stephen Davis ,an Australian about the sponsors of Boko Haram.
Davies in an interview with AriseTV accused ex Governor Ali-Modu Sheriff and former chief of Army Staff,Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika of being the sponsors of Boko Haram sect.
