11 soldiers as well as 55 civilians are feared dead after the deadly terrorist sect Boko Haram took over a military base in the fishing town of Baga, Borno state.
News coming out of Borno indicate that 18 female soldiers were also kidnapped in the attack. According to reports, the attack on Baga lasted for well over 16 hours before the insurgents overpowered the soldiers.
Although no official confirmation has been provided by the Nigerian army, Senator Maina Ma’aji Lawan in an interview with the BBC confirmed the insurgents’ attack on Baga. He siad that military troops and youth volunteers, also known as ‘civilian JTF, had attempted to repel the insurgents, but were eventually overpowered by the insurgents.
“This is indeed a sad moment for my people who were plunged into bloodshed by the insurgents. Security forces with active support of the youth have been working hard to protect the area from several attacks in the past. But due to the large number of the terrorists and dangerous weapons they used in the latest onslaught these patriotic persons were unable to resist them,” Mr. Lawan said.
