Less than three weeks after the Air Force Base and other military formations in Maiduguri, Borno State were attacked by suspected Boko Haram insurgents, the terrorists on Friday again launched a fierce, yet daring attack on Bama, about 65km from the Maiduguri, sacking the military barrack there and killing an undisclosed number of troops and their families.
The attack was confirmed by military authorities in a statement released yesterday.
Major-General Chris Olukolade, Director, Defense Information, said Bama barracks was attacked by terrorists, who came from cells located across the Nigerian Border with Cameroun through Banki town.
According to the Defense spokesperson, “High caliber weapons such as anti-aircraft and rocket propelled guns were freely used in the attack that lasted several hours”.
He, however, said ground troops supported by the Air Force repelled the attack and were in pursuit of the insurgents. He did not specify the number of casualties.
“Details of casualties recorded in the incident will be released when the ongoing cordon and search operations in the general area is concluded”, he said.
Bama has become the flashpoint in Borno State and the scene of several daring Boko Haram attacks. One of the insurgents biggest-ever strikes targeted the military in Bama last June.
