Reports indicate that the Nigerian military has assembled thousands of troops and equipment in preparation for a massive operation to retake Baga and five other towns and adjoining villages in the northern part of Borno State from Boko Haram insurgents.
It can be recalled that about five (5) towns and proximate villages in southern Borno state were reportedly seized last week by members of the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP), the faction of Boko Haram that is affiliated to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The factional group led by Abu Mus’ab Albarnawi has reportedly taken control of Baga, Doron-Baga, Kross Kawwa, Bunduran, Kekeno, and Kukawa, after dislodging the military bases therein. Even though the Army has denied reports of the falls of the said towns but residents fleeing the areas confirmed the presence of ISWAP fighters on the streets.
However, the fresh military buildup is coming days after the Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima convened an extraordinary security meeting to come up with measures to halt the resurgence of terrorist attacks in the state.
It was gathered that all the three arms of the nation’s armed forces, the Army, Navy and the Air force, would be involved in the major offensive to flush out the insurgents from the areas they have occupied. Credible sources said the Defence Headquarters had gone far in mobilizing men and resources ahead of the major onslaught scheduled to take place in the nearest future. They would join those on ground in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states for the operations,” he said.
Another source said many fighting equipments were being put together for onward delivery to the northern part of Borno for the major operation. Residents in parts of northern Borno confirmed mass movement of soldiers and military hardware to the area.
In the same vein, Borno State Hunters Union was also on Sunday, 6th January, 2019 reliably learnt, has deployed a reinforcement of its men to the captured communities to lend a helping hand to the military.
ISWAP insurgents have stepped up attacks on military locations in the North-East recently, with an attack in November at Metele claiming the lives of over 20 soldiers. The soldiers were killed when the insurgents overran 157 Battalion in northern Borno. Additional 12 soldiers also lost their lives in separate attacks around that period.
It was also gathered that the group, after taking Baga, had been making consistent attempts to overrun Monguno (64km from Baga and 171km to Maiduguri). But they have been repeatedly beaten by the Army’s Special Forces deployed in the town.
The ISWAP is currently in control of many towns, villages and islands in the Nigerian shores of the Lake Chad, even as thousands of fishermen and farmers who found their ways out of the locations are now taking refuge in Maiduguri.
As reported, by locals the insurgents initially converged on Doron Naira and Dogon Chukun, two islands along the Lake Chad not far from Baga town, before launching last week’s onslaught on the fishing community.
A fierce battle ensued between ISWAP and Nigerian troops, lasting two days (Wednesday, December 28 to Friday, December 30), leading to the withdrawal of Nigerian soldiers attached to the Multi-National Joint Task Force base in Baga. Fallout of which led to overtaking of major towns and settlements like Baga, Doron-Baga, Kross Kawwa, Bunduran, Kekeno and Kukawa towns.
Sources said at the time of the fight last week, only Nigerian troops were at the base as forces from Chad, Cameroon and Niger had for long withdrawn and were only manning their own sides of the borders. Besides the MNJTF headquarters, the insurgents also overran a naval fighting base and a marine police base.
According to some locals, dozens of communities now live under the control of the Abu Mus’ab’s faction of Boko Haram. Some of the communities include Gashigar, Zari, Granda, Gudumbari, Kukawa, Arge, Metele, Alagarnon Arewa, Kangarwa, Jilli, Birmari, Mairari, Mainari, Kuroskauwa, Mil 4, Mil 90 among others.
Further disclosure by the fleeing villagers added that, the only difference we are witnessing this time around is that the (Abu Mus’ab’s) Boko Haram fighters kill locals only when they show some form of resistance. They asked those who want to leave to leave but told those interested in staying behind not to worry.
Over the last one week after the occupation of the area, transport fare to Monguno that used to be N1,000 increased to N5,000 per passenger, and to charter, a car will cost between N25,000 and N30,000, instead of the N5,000 it used to be.
Beyond northern Borno state, Al Barnawi’s fighters are now inching towards the central and southern part of the State, launching attacks in places like Mainok, Jakana and other locations along Maiduguri-Damaturu road as well as in Gujba axis of Yobe state.
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