KANO (Nigeria), Sept 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least three Nigerian soldiers
and a policeman were killed when militants attacked the
town of Gajiram in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state on Thursday.
Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) stormed the
town around 0100 GMT in nine all-terrain trucks fitted with machine guns and engaged troops and policemen in a gunbattle.
It was the third attack on the military in the town in a month, part of a
wider insurgency that has raged in Nigeria for a decade.
“The terrorists killed three soldiers and a policeman in the attack and
seized some vehicles,” a security source said.
“They seized five military vehicles including a mine-resistant armoured
truck and a police van in the attack,” said the source.
The militants first attacked the town late Wednesday, forcing troops and
policemen to withdraw from the town, according to residents.
“They returned Thursday morning and killed three soldiers and a policeman without harming any civilians,” he said.
In a statement, ISWAP claimed 10 soldiers were killed and six
military vehicles and arms seized in Gajiram.
Gajiram lies on the highway linking Maiduguri and the garrison town of
Monguno, 55 kilometres away.
The decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria by Boko Haram has killed
more than 27,000 people, displaced some two million, and spilt over into
neighbouring countries.
While Boko Haram tends to hit softer targets, the ISWAP splinter faction loyal to the Daesh group has ratcheted up attacks against the military since
last year. — NNN-AGENCIES