Army Kills Over 50 Boko Haram Members In Fierce Battle

There are reports that more than 50 members of Boko Haram sect were, today, September 1, killed and several injured  following a fierce battle with the Nigerian Army.

The sect members were reportedly killed during an attack on Moraraba village, outskirts of Bama in Borno State. 

According to Vanguard, the assault started in the early hours of Monday at about 5.30am and the fierce battle lasted for over 5 hours.

Meanwhile, it was earlier reported today that the Defence Headquarter had announced that Bama was under serious attack, but it had been repelled.

The spokesman for the 7th Division today, Col. Sani Usman, today said the ongoing curfew hours in the state has been extended by two hours in following Boko Haram attacks.

The curfew which was reported to usually start by 9pm now starts by 7pm to 6am.

A security source who confirmed the attack said the insurgents stormed the town through Bama-Banki-Gwoza Road but were intercepted by gallant military troops near the Bama Mobile Police Unit located about 5 kilometers away from Bama town.

The Boko Haram insurgents were said to have tactically attempted to enter Bama town in convoy of military vehicles and motorcycles wearing military uniform armed with sophisticated weapons and locally-made Improved Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The security operatives, are yet to make any offical statement on the number of casualty.

However a local vigilante personnel, Abbas Gava, said his colleagues in Bama had informed him that over 70 members of the Boko Haram terrorists were killed saying: “They killed over 70 Boko Haram terrorists and injured about 30 of them”.

Following the fierce battle between Nigerian troops and the sect, thousands of Bama residents in Borno State have reportedly fled to the town of Kawuri.

Residents who fled for fear of their lives said the militants started shooting sporadically as they entered the town. Meanwhile a security source told SaharaReporters that many of the insurgents came from Gwoza, a major town recently seized by the militants.

“Nigerian troops were seen heading towards Bama in the morning to assist those at the 21st Brigade barracks which was recently relocated to Bama.” a source told Sahara Reporters.

Morababa village is about 10 kilometers from Bama.

Bama is about 76 kilometres drive and south east of Maiduguri, the state capital which had witnessed series of deadly attacks by suspected terrorists.

The Islamist sect has continued to carry out several havocs in Nigeria especially in the Northern part of the country.

Over the past months, Borno State has been under serious attacks by the sect.

It was reported yesterday, August 31, that the sect stormed Jibwhiwhui village, Hawul local government area of Borno State and killed no fewer than 14 people in the attack.

Just recently on August 24, the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, declared Gwoza, a town in Borno state, an Islamic Caliphate.