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| Nigerian Military |
The
Nigerian army said yesterday that it had recaptured the north-eastern town of
Chibok, where Boko Haram insurgents abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in
April, provoking a wave of global outrage.
An elder of Chibok community, Pogu
Bitrus, however told, AFP that Chibok was recaptured in a joint
operation with local vigilantes known as the Civilian Joint Task Force. He said
the vigilantes fought inside Chibok while the soldiers “stayed outside the town
to mop up the insurgents trying to escape.”
Boko Haram fighters who were
dislodged last week from Mubi in Adamawa by a combined team of local hunters
and the troops fled to Chibok through Mararaba, Mubi and Uba and took over the
town when residents on seeing the terrorists fled.
The terrorists had captured the town
last Thursday after a battle lasting several hours that left many victims among
both the insurgents and the local militias dead.
Several residents said the army had
fled from the assault, leaving the vigilantes to fight on their own against
Boko Haram. There was no immediate information
about any casualties from Saturday’s battle for the town, which witnesses say
was virtually empty of residents.
A statement from Army Headquarters
signed by Colonel Timothy Antigha, Chief of Staff, Department of Army Public
Relations said, “The Nigerian Army troops recaptured Chibok at about 7pm last
(Saturday) night from Boko Haram insurgents. The town is now secured.
Exploitation and mop-up operations are ongoing. More details will follow as
soon as they are available.”
It was captured in Vanguard
last week that after several days of strategizing, the Nigerian Military,
working in collaboration with local hunters, vigilantes and foreign military
advisers from Israel commenced a major offensive to retake Mubi, Michika and
Madagali towns from Boko Haram terrorists.
Meanwhile, former Vice President,
Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Federal Government over its handling of the
Boko Haram insurgents in the North east saying “any serious government would
have reacted decisively to the security challenge that has almost consumed
three states or more.”
According to him, “the Federal
government is not ready to solve the problem of insurgency ravaging the entire
Northern states. This is evident because for more than five years, insurgency
has persisted and there seems no end to it.”
Atiku, who spoke to correspondents
at the 9th Annual Founder’s Day and 10th anniversary of the American University
of Nigeria, Yola expressed regret that the Federal Government has no excuse
whatsoever to give Nigerians for allowing insurgents to persist despite the
material and human resources at its disposal.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of
President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration to contest the 2015 Presidential
election on the platform of the PDP, intelligence reports collated by security
agencies have shown that more terrorists bombings will be recorded in the
country.
According to sources, the bombings,
which will target churches, Mosques, schools, markets and recreation centres
among others, will signal the final push of the terrorists with the aim of
stopping Jonathan from contesting the election.
“Thousands of people have been killed, many
separated from their families and thousand others are now refugees in their
domain, local government, states and elsewhere. This alone portends danger to
the already fragile society and government seems not to be taking decisive
action,” he added.
Alhaji Abubakar therefore, called on
the people to stand firm and defend themselves, since government at the
national level has refused to live up to its expectations in handling the
insurgency problem.
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