The Boko Haram insurgents that had taken over
Bama town last Monday in Borno state; have
Saturday night; fully retreated from the
strategic reclaimed town; as fierce aerial
bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)
fighter jets, Military sources confirmed Sunday
in Maiduguri, the state capital.
One of the sources said that the aerial
bombardments to knockout Boko Haram’s weapon
installations in the border town had recently
overrun; adding that; “our tactical aerial attacks to
reclaim this town had been effective and yielding
the desired results. This will enable the fleeing
residents and villagers to return within the shortest
period of time.”
“But the weekend battle however took a heavy toll
on civilian lives and property as the insurgents
were said to be embedded with residents, allegedly
used as human shields if the military launches any
attack on the occupied town,” said Mustapha Modu,
now taking refuge in Maiduguri.
On how Bama was reclaimed, the source said: “The
first attacks didn’t really make the expected impact
but the second round of bombardment really injured
those Boko Haram boys, which is why they are
retreating now. They are no deeper into Bama, while
our people are advancing and gaining territory. The
Boko Haram boys are right now
retreating.
“We are now dislodging them. You know, Air Force
have intensified their efforts; they brought F-7 and
different kinds of aircraft. They really bombarded
them.”
Another military source also confirmed the
advances of the Armed Forces in the battle field of
Bama but cautioned that it was no time
for celebration yet, as the operation was still
ongoing in several parts of Borno State.
He said the situation was “still very volatile” with
Gwoza, Gambouru, Wulgo and one or two town in
northern Borno, are far from being liberated from
the terrorists’ takeover in the last three months.
“We don’t want to say anything official but there are
still fights going on in different places and on
different scales, especially by air. This is a critical
and unusual time,” the senior military officer said.
He also explained that apart from the aerial
campaign in Bama, NAF had been effective in
support of the ground forces with the launch of air
attacks with different aircraft types, including
helicopter gunships.
He said: “We are very deeply involved. You know
what we are having here is a joint operation of the
services, even though the Navy may not be
involved right now because of the terrain.
“First and foremost, apart from the airlift, we are
equally supporting the ground forces; in most of the
cases we even take the initiative.
In modern warfare, Air Force normally does the first
dirty job, clear the road for the Army to do the mop
up operations.
“Like I said, all our platforms are participating fully
here. We have Alpha Jets, we have F7, Beechcraft,
Mi35, which is the gunships, and then all our
transport planes: C-130, the G TripleT. So we
are participating fully and playing a significant role
in that place.”
A military intelligence source in Maiduguri Sunday
also said: “Gwoza is still a no-go area, I must tell
you the truth, as the town is firmly in hands of the
Boko Haram terrorists. We are currently focusing
on Bama before advancing to other areas in
northern and southern parts of Borno state.”
Sources within the military also blamed some of the
difficulties being encountered in the fight against
Boko Haram on what they term indiscriminate
retirement of experienced officers.
“Our capital city of Maiduguri is today facing a
heavy influx of refugees from the local government
areas in Borno. Borno citizens have been forced to
take refuge in parts of Gombe and Adamawa states
mainly on account of man’s inhumanity to fellow
man in the gratuitous name of religion. These acts
are absolutely condemn able in the strongest of
terms,” said the military officer.
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