“BHT are now attacking Doro-Baga; efforts to be intensified to checkmate this advance before the entire Chad Basin falls into the hands of the BHT.”
Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) group yesterday attacked the naval base at Doro-Baga, located around the Lake Chad Basin. It is the operational headquarters of the Nigerian Navy contingent under Operation Lafia Dole.
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There is tension among military personnel and locals who fear that the terrorists may soon take control of the entire area, if nothing is done to stem the tide. A concerned resident of the area who alerted Daily Sun about the attack, which he said started at about 4pm, said many soldiers were feared dead and several others injured. The source also said the terrorists burnt the facilities at the naval base, where they succeeded in dislodging the troops.
The source said: “BHT are now attacking Doro-Baga; efforts to be intensified to checkmate this advance before the entire Chad Basin falls into the hands of the BHT. We now have Monguno, Mallamfatori, Gubio and Damask under our control.”
The BHT also attacked the headquarters of 7 Brigade Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Baga, Borno State, on Wednesday. The attack, which took place at about 7pm, was said to have resulted in the terrorists completely dislodging the operational base of the task force, whose commander and soldiers are now taking refuge near Lake Chad.
Sources told Daily Sun that caches of arms and equipment were carted away during the attack in which one naval personnel was said to have been killed. However, the Nigerian Army has said that its troops, alongside Nigerien counterparts, put up a very determined fight to repel the attack that lasted throughout Wednesday night.
Boko Haram had in 2015 attacked and overrun a military base that was the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force comprising troops from Chad, Niger and Nigeria, killing scores of soldiers and civilians.
The army, in a statement signed by its director of public relations, Sani Usman, said reinforcements from Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, are in hot pursuit of the terrorists while a search-and-rescue team has been constituted. Usman also said that the Nigerian Air Force component is currently engaging the fleeing terrorists.
The statement said: “Please recall that yesterday, Wednesday, December 26, 2018, suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked the headquarters of 7 Brigade Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Baga, Borno State, at about 7pm. The troops along with their Nigerian Navy counterparts put up a very determined fight to repel the attack throughout the night, while Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, sent in reinforcement who are in hot pursuit of the terrorists. Similarly, a search-and-rescue team has been constituted.
“The Nigerian Air Force component has also been mobilised and are engaging the fleeing terrorists. Unfortunately, a naval personnel was killed in action. So far, no further details of casualties yet as efforts are ongoing to clear the terrorists hiding in Baga and environs.
“We enjoin all to remain calm as the troops conduct clearance and mop-up operations. We implore members of the general public to disregard any contrary information circulating on the attack. We will keep you posted with developments on the pursuit and mop-up operations.”