The Nigeria Army has made an unsuccessful attempt
to re-claim Gwoza in Borno State from the extremist
Boko Haram sect, residents and security sources say.
The Nigerian Army 213 Battalion, Operation Task
Force Mike and 234 Battalion, based in Mubi,
Adamawa state, who engaged Boko Haram members
in a fierce gun battle retreated and fled Gwoza town,
the residents said.
Gwoza has been in the hands of Boko Haram
militants for three days now since they first invaded
the town, killing over 100 civilians and soldiers.
“The soldiers were reported to have been led into
the battle by Lieutenant Bayedi Martins and Lt.
Colonel Agu of the 234 Battalion, formerly Special
Operations Battalion (SOB). They had to retreat when
they ran into stiff resistance from the militants as
they advanced on Gwoza from Madagali,” said a
security source who pleaded anonymity, on Saturday.
The source said Mr. Agu has not been found.
According to the source, “The soldiers retreated but
the militants set off in hot pursuit, chased them and
snatched one of their tanks as well as the driver of
the tank. They then called the soldier’s wife and
informed her that her husband was in captivity.
“We are expecting the corpses of about five gallant
soldiers that were killed during the encounter to
arrive here today Saturday,” the source said.
Local sources in Madagali said about 30 Hilux pick up
vans were used to bring several wounded and dead
soldiers back to Mubi in Adamawa.
It is the second time in 24 hours that Nigerian
soldiers were defeated by Boko Haram in an attempt
to reclaim Gwoza. The army had recently reclaimed
Damboa, also in Borno, after over two weeks of Boko
Haram overrunning and planting its flag in the town.
Army sources confirmed that about three military
alpha jets were deployed to the area to assist in the
rescue of soldiers who might be trapped in
mountains surrounding Gwoza.
The army spokesperson, Chris Olukolade, could not
be immediately reached for comments as calls to his
phones were unsuccessful.
Refugees
The dreaded Boko Haram sect have laid siege on the
entire Gwoza local government headquarters for
nearly four days now causing over 10,000 displaced
residents to flee to neighbouring Adamawa and
Cameroon.
Hundreds others are still stranded on hilltops and
continue to lack access to food or water, emergency
and local officials have confirmed.
In a telephone interview, the North East zonal
coordinator of the National Emergency Management
Agency, NEMA, Mohammad Kanar, confirmed this to
PREMIUM TIMES.
“I can confirm to you that over 10,000 displaced
Gwoza residents have fled to neighbouring Adamawa
and Cameroon republic.
“As I am talking to you now, hundreds are on their
way to Madagali in Adamawa state and some parts of
Cameroon. We are now working assiduously in
conjunction with the neighbouring state to assist the
fleeing residents,” he said.
He said some parts of Gwoza, especially behind the
rocky mountain that borders Cameroon had been
taken over by Boko Haram, who sacked the residents
and hoisted their flag.
Also, the Chairman of Madagali local government
area in Adamawa, James Watharda, said “Gwoza
residents have continued trooping in and for now
over 7,000 have since arrived”.
The local council is making arrangement to come to
their plight, he added.
“We are therefore calling on NEMA and other
relevant authorities to assist, because the scope of
their needs is beyond local government council,”Mr.
Watharda said.
A fleeing resident, Ahmad Musa, who claimed to
have witnessed the massacre of the residents by the
Boko Haram sect, said the terrorists killed adults and
children by either slaughtering or shooting them.
Mr. Musa, added that the Chief Imam of Gwoza was
attacked in his house and slaughtered right before his
family members who later took to their heels.
The insurgents were also said to have slit the throat
of a serving councillor, Hon. Saleh, of Kuranabasa
Ward, as well as his three children.
There are reports that many corpses still litter the streets of Gwoza town.
https://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/166499-army-colonel-missing-as-nigerian-military-clash-with-boko-haram-in-gwoza.html
I am awesome!

I don't even know what to believe again.
Why can't Vanguard, Punch, Channelstv, etc send in someone to get first hand independent report for god's sake

ITbomb: I don't even know what to believe again.
Why can't Vanguard, Punch, Channelstv, etc send in someone to get first hand independent report for god's sake

Did you say send in someone...? You can as well submit you application letter and volunteer to go in. @topic... Its seems like Nigeria military is in a mess. As it is now, it seems like a country as small as Sao Tome, Chad or even Togo can invade Nigeria and over ran our military within 24hrs... If the NA cant protect the N-East, how much more the whole of Nigeria. And what I still not understand is, why is the four service chief still siting on their sit. GEJ dey fall hand sha...