Boko Haram: Military Steps Up Air Bombardment
Determined to restore normalcy in the towns stormed days ago by Boko Haram insurgents, Nigerian military claimed they had intensified deployment of troops and equipment around the area.
Moreover, they announced to have launched aerial bombardment to fulfill their goal, Premium Times reports.
The ghastly attacks on Mubi, Adamawa State, and the nearby territories, which forced hundreds of soldiers and residents out of their homes, came as another breach of ceasefire agreement allegedly concluded by the Federal Government and the sect on October 17.
Following the mass flee of soldiers from the 234 battalion instead of foiling the attack, the military commandment on October 31 expressed rage ordering troops to come back and retake the seized Mubi from the insurgents.
In a Saturday statement spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, Chris Olukolade, reinstated the idea by explaining how the Nigerian military planned to restore order.
"Necessary deployment of troops and equipment is ongoing to reverse all recent violation and breach of security by terrorists and criminals operating in parts of the country. The highly coordinated air bombardment is already yielding required results in the mission to repel the unwarranted attacks on citizens especially in Adamawa and Borno States as land forces are also conducting mopping up operations to apprehend retreating terrorists and facilitate restoration of normalcy in some of the affected communities."
READ ALSO: Mubi: We Could Foil Boko Haram Attack If Supported By Military – Resident
Olukolade promised to provide more details on the operation in the nearest future.
No fewer that 300 Nigerian soldiers flee to Cameroon, again
Meanwhile The Punch reports with reference to the Cameroonian military sources that at least 300 more soldiers escaped to Cameroon from Mubi.
The source added that those soldiers would be moved from the border areas to more secure locations where they would be taken care of and then sent repatriated to Nigeria.
According to a top Cameroonian military officer, who pleaded anonymity, spoke about their current location:
"They (Nigerian soldiers) are mostly around Boucla village in Bourha sub-division. So far, we can estimate the number of arrivals to be at about 300. These are the ones who arrived in uniform but we know that there are several others who shed their uniforms for civilian attires."
READ ALSO: Boko Haram: Fleeing Of Troops Dangerous – Atiku Abubakar
The neighbours' government is said to be concerned about the increasing number of refugees coming from Nigeria. Understanding that the people from the North-East are being driven away from their home country by Boko Haram, the Cameroonian officials are worried about where to locate the refugees.
It was also disclosed that the Cameroonian authorities started conducting thorough screening of Nigerian deserters and refugees to prevent infiltration by insurgents. It is none of a secret that Boko Haram insurgents adopted a trick of masking themselves as military to sneak unnoticed.
Only last month Cameroonian military, having been involved in the battle against Boko Haram insurgency, reported about killing of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters in several separate raids.
It would be recalled that earlier this year a scandal hit Nigeria as about 480 Nigerian soldiers fled to Cameron following the fierce battle with the sect militants. The army would later describe this move as a "tactical maneuver".
Source: Legit.ng
