Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have attacked a military formation in Mairari community, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, with some soldiers feared killed.
Our correspondent gathered that the terrorists attacked the military post around midnight on Tuesday.
Local sources, who confirmed the incident to The PUNCH, said the attack lasted for more than two hours, with casualties feared on both sides.
Confirming the incident exclusively to The PUNCH on Wednesday, the Chairman of Guzamala Local Government Area, Umar Sheriff, said there were no civilian casualties.
According to him, the terrorists specifically targeted the military post.
He said, “The incident occurred last night around 12 am. Though I don’t have statistics regarding the casualties yet, because it’s not everything we are told. It’s a security matter. But I know that no civilian was killed.”
He described the attack as a major one, noting that the locality had not witnessed such an incident in recent times.
“They have never attacked as much as this time, but thank God, the military were able to repel them,” he stressed.
The chairman said the situation was currently calm, adding that he would visit the community on Thursday to assess the situation on the ground.
“The situation is calm. I will be there tomorrow morning (Thursday) to evaluate the situation,” he stated.
Meanwhile, local sources, who pleaded not to be identified, said both sides suffered casualties.
“I know there are military casualties. It was rumoured that seven soldiers were killed, but no one could verify that yet,” one source said.
“That attack left the entire town in tension. With the gunfire yesterday, there is no way that the terrorists will not suffer casualties. Both local forces and the military stood their ground,” another source familiar with the incident told The PUNCH.
Efforts to contact the Acting Military Information Officer of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt Mohammed Goni, for comments failed, as he neither answered nor returned calls as of press time.