Reports just reaching us say that members of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram have captured Askira Uba town in Borno state.
The Cable reports that the town was taken overnight, less than a day after the Nigerian military regained Monguno from the extremist group.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity reported that the jihadist militants attacked the town at night and burnt down the emir’s palace.
“They attacked the town in the night and burnt down the emir’s palace. Most of the villagers ran away into the bush, so there was really no casualty,” the source said.
Boko Haram have carried out a series of deadly attacks on citizens in the northeastern region, especially in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
The Nigerian military repelled the terrorists in a fierce battle on Sunday and finally regained control of Monguno, the only town previously under the sect’s control, thereby hoping to send a message to Nigerians that no part of the state was in the sect’s grip.
Monguno town was captured by Boko Haram on January 25 after a massive attack from different directions, but the Nigerian military reportedly regained Monguno, Marte and other communities in the north of Borno state from the Islamist sect
With reports of the terrorists still capturing towns, the pledge made recently by the Nigerian Air Force, expressing confidence that a 6-week period was enough to crush Boko Haram, might seem optimistic.
The Nigerian army earlier on February 2, announced that it had recaptured five towns, including Gamboru, from the extremists.
The Cable reports that the town was taken overnight, less than a day after the Nigerian military regained Monguno from the extremist group.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity reported that the jihadist militants attacked the town at night and burnt down the emir’s palace.
“They attacked the town in the night and burnt down the emir’s palace. Most of the villagers ran away into the bush, so there was really no casualty,” the source said.
Boko Haram have carried out a series of deadly attacks on citizens in the northeastern region, especially in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
The Nigerian military repelled the terrorists in a fierce battle on Sunday and finally regained control of Monguno, the only town previously under the sect’s control, thereby hoping to send a message to Nigerians that no part of the state was in the sect’s grip.
Monguno town was captured by Boko Haram on January 25 after a massive attack from different directions, but the Nigerian military reportedly regained Monguno, Marte and other communities in the north of Borno state from the Islamist sect
With reports of the terrorists still capturing towns, the pledge made recently by the Nigerian Air Force, expressing confidence that a 6-week period was enough to crush Boko Haram, might seem optimistic.
The Nigerian army earlier on February 2, announced that it had recaptured five towns, including Gamboru, from the extremists.
