Nigeria Defence spokesman, Major General Chris
The
military authorities have deployed more fighter aircraft to intensify
the action to retake the commercial city of Mubi from Boko Haram
insurgents.
It was learnt in Abuja, on
Friday, that members of the sect captured Mubi and adjourning villages
from Nigerian troops, after carrying out a sustained attack.
Investigations
showed the military authorities had also sent heavy reinforcement of
troops and hardware to the affected area in the early hours of Friday.
It
was further learnt that the Air Force had intensified the use of both
fighter jets and helicopter gunships for the ongoing operation.
A
military source, who confided in our correspondent, said a sustained
heavy gun battle between troops and the insurgents at Maiha Local
Government Area, near Mubi, was ongoing as of Friday afternoon.
It
was also gathered that the insurgents who overran Vintim, the hometown
of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, burnt down a
number of structures in the community before fleeing the area.
The properties razed included the residence of the CDS, the community clinic and a civic centre.
Fleeing
residents confirmed that fighter jets belonging to the Nigerian Air
Force were carrying out heavy bombardments of areas under the control of
the sect.
A security source, who
confided in our correspondent, said the fighter aircraft of the Nigerian
Air Force followed the invading Boko Haram fighters, killing several of
them.
The source added that four of
the fighters who were too injured to run had been captured and were
facing interrogation at a military formation in Adamawa State.
It
was stated further that the insurgents did not stay in Vintim after
capturing it but decided to run out of the town after burning the
structures, following the attacks by the Air Force.
The
source also said military authorities were doing everything necessary
to reverse the situation in Mubi and other Adamawa communities.
He
said “It is true that his (CDS) house in the village was razed. The
insurgents also burnt down a clinic he had donated to the community, and
a civic centre there.
“However, most
of the insurgents who went to Vintim did not survive. They were caught
up by the Air Force fighter jets, which followed them and got most of
them.
“Four of them, who were too injured to escape, were caught and are being interrogated.
“They are not in Vintim; they left as soon as they carried out the destruction because the Air Force was after them.”
There was also information that there was a surprise attack on Nigerian military positions.
A
source said, “The military high command has commenced investigations
into the surprise attack on the location of troops in the area.
“You
know that since this thing happened, the Air Force has been active. But
this time, the people took the battle to their boss, and it seems the
people have been provoked.
“They are
taking serious risks in this operation and carrying out air strikes not
only with jets that fly very fast, but also with helicopter gunships
that are not as fast as the jets.
“As
we speak, airstrikes are going on in the area, while the issue of
surprise attack on troops is being investigated,” the source said
Meanwhile,
a source from a strategic security office in the country revealed that
Nigerian fighter pilots, as well as ground troops, were relying on arms
and ammunition available in the country to prosecute the ongoing
campaign.
The source said Western powers had sustained its opposition to Nigeria’s bid to acquire arms and ammunition.
