Chad troops return to Nigeria town after Boko
Haram kill 11
on march 21, 2015 at 4:59 pm in news
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Chadian troops on Saturday returned to the
northeast Nigerian border town of Gamboru,
locals said, after Boko Haram took advantage of a
lack of military presence to kill 11 people.
“Hundreds of Chadian troops moved into
Gamboru this morning from Fotokol,” said
Babagana Karimbe, who lives in the town in
northern Cameroon which is separated from
Gamboru by a bridge.
Troops from Chad were credited last month with liberating Gamboru in Borno state from Boko Haram control but the Chadians’ withdrawal from Nigeria last week appeared to have left the town exposed.
The Islamists returned on Wednesday, killing eight people, while three more were killed on Thursday. Karimbe told AFP that the deployment began at about 7:20 am (0620 GMT) and involved dozens of
vehicles, including tanks.
“They are now in Gamboru. It is clear Boko Haram
gunmen had fled before the troops deployed
because we have not heard a single shot sinche
Chadian soldiers moved in,” he added.
“Our prayer is for the troops to remain in
Gamboru because if they withdraw again Boko
Haram will definitely return and continue killing
people.”
The lack of security presence exposed an
apparent lack of coordination between the allies,
whose sustained offensive has led to the
recapture of dozens of towns in northeast
Nigeria.
Chadian troops had pushed into Nigerian
territory after freeing Gamboru, going on to
retake the Borno town of Dikwa, near Boko
Haram’s Sambisa Forest stronghold.
Fotokol resident Umar Ari said by telephone that
Gamboru residents welcomed the soldiers with
clapping and cheering, supporting Karimbe’s
account that no shots were fired.
“From Gardumba neighbourhood (on the
outskirts of Fotokol) we can see the Chadian
soldiers moving around Gamboru but we have
not seen any Boko Haram gunmen,” he added.
“We catch glimpses of Boko Haram gunmen
whenever they are in Gamboru. On Wednesday
we saw them riding around Gamboru on
motorcycles brandishing guns”.
The regional offensive involving Nigerian troops,
Chad, Cameroon and Niger was cited as a reason
for postponing the Nigerian general election,
which was initially scheduled for February 14.
It will now take place on March 28, with President
Goodluck Jonathan hoping to capitalise on the
reversal of the insurgents’ military fortunes in his quest for re-election.

The Soldiers from Chad are worthy of commendation in the fight against the insurgents. I pray the FG does not hinder their movement again.

Waz here