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There was massive shooting in Monguno, a major town in northern Borno State, as the Nigerian military battled to repel an attack by suspected members of the Boko Haram, sources said.
Suspected members of the ISWAP faction of Boko Haram attempted to invade the community that now serves as a mega camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Sources from Monguno said soldiers battled for several hours to repel the attack.
A source, who works with a non-governmental organisation in Monguno, told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack started late in the evening when ISWAP ambushed a convoy of travellers escorted by soldiers coming from Maiduguri to Monguno.
“The convoy was at the entrance checkpoint outside Monguno when the insurgents opened fire,” the source said. ”The firing was heavy, so the soldiers and the travellers fled, some into Monguno and the others into the bush.
“The insurgents took advantage of the abandoned checkpoint to invade the town. But they were resisted by a mobilised force of soldiers who were able to repel the attack.
“The situation in Monguno is calm for now and the attack was successfully repelled by the military who were heard celebrating at night in Monguno town.”
However, the source said there is no information on casualties yet.
A source at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital informed PREMIUM TIMES that many injured persons were brought to the hospital on Tuesday night.
“The patients coming into the teaching hospital at this moment is alarming, God helps us all,” the source said.
The military are yet to comment on the latest attack.
Since the withdrawal of the Chadian troops from the Multinational Joint Task Force operation in northern Borno some days ago, there have been rumours of planned attacks by insurgents on key locations of Borno.
President Muhammad Buhari had on Tuesday told Nigerians not to panic over the withdrawal of the Chadian troops.
”There is nothing of concern about the way deployments are made by the MNJTF, ” Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman had said.
“They know what they are doing. It is in the execution of their mandate,” he added. “Nigerians should equally not have any doubts about the ability of our armed forces to hold their own. They are capable and have proven to be so.”
PREMIUM TIMES
