One military source in Abuja told SaharaReporters
that the soldiers on the mission to recapture the
town were drafted from Maiduguri and Mubi in
Adamawa State. The officer added that special Army
and Air Force units had been pounding Boko Haram
positions since yesterday.
“Over 1000 soldiers are involved in this operation to
take Gwoza back from Boko Haram,” said the officer,
adding that the troop commanders were confident of
dislodging the insurgents in a matter of hours or
days.
A resident of Bama, which is 35 miles from Gwoza,
told SaharaReporters that he had observed a large
contingent of troops moving towards Gwoza in the
last 24 hours. He also stated that he had heard
gunfire overnight.
Boko Haram insurgents overran Gwoza last week,
killing at least 100 residents, including the wife of
the town’s emir, his brother, and the chief Imam of
Gwoza.
Shortly after taking over Gwoza, Boko Haram
militants repelled a column of soldiers that came
from Bama to chase them away, inflicting a
significant casualty on the troops. Two days later, a
group of soldiers from the 234 Battalion led by
Lieutenant Colonel Agu had to abandon Gwoza when
Boko Haram fighters overwhelmed them. In that
battle, the Islamist militants captured one military
tank and its driver. They also burnt two other tanks.
Some of the soldiers who spoke anonymously to
SaharaReporters said the lack of communication
equipment inside the tanks was responsible for the
costly tactical errors in the earlier Gwoza operation.
“The front tank suddenly turned back when its
weaponry malfunctioned,” said one soldier. He added
that, unable to figure out the reason for the sudden
turn around, the troops took to their heels instead of
positioning the three other tanks behind to engage
the militants.
Officials at Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters in Abuja
have declined to speak officially about the latest
battle, but a military source in Abuja anonymously
confirmed that the military had started waging a
wide range of operational activities aimed at driving
Boko Haram militants out of Gwoza.
SOURCE:
SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK

Good news...Kudos to our gallant soldiers

The military is moving in to these areas tactically.

Nice one