Nigerian Air Force jets and military vehicles may have intercepted fleeing Boko Haram militants, who invaded Geidam town in Yobe state on Wednesday night, Daily Trust reports.
It was learnt that reinforcement troops started arriving Geidam, which is the hometown of the Yobe Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam, at about 5am on Thursday after the insurgents had carried out their looting spree and left.
The insurgents had looted shops and fuel stations in the town the night before, an indication that the military’s sustained onslaught, which has resulted in massive blockade and seizure of supplies to Boko Haram, was beginning to take its toll on the radical Islamist sect.
Residents in the town said four Air Force jets painted in camouflage arrived at about 11:05am and hovered around Kadar Lamba River, where the insurgents reportedly got trapped due to high water currents.
Kadar Lamba River is located about 28 kilometers away from Geidam town.
“Some villagers hinted security operatives that the River Kadar Lamba over flows and the militants could not have crossed. So, the army took that advantage and intercepted them. We don’t have detail”, a resident said.
He also said that another Helicopter landed at the military barracks close to Kafia Primary School as part of the reinforcement.