Federal Troops, Civilian JTF Halt Boko Haram's Advance Towards Maiduguri, Kill Over 100 Insurgents In Kondunga

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, September 12, (THEWILL) - The plan by Boko Haram insurgents to capture Maiduguri, and make the Borno State capital the headquarters of their Islamic caliphate, has suffered a heavy blow.

On Friday, a combined team of the Nigerian Army and the Borno youth vigilante group, a.k.a Civilian JTF, gave the insurgents a hot battle , killing over 100 Boko Haram gunmen in Kondunga, a town situated some 40 kilometres away from Maiduguri.

The insurgents had planned to capture Kondunga and use the town as a platform for their imminent attack on Maiduguri. But their plan was punctured by the gallant soldiers and Civilian JTF, who acted fast in dealing a deadly blow on the insurgents.

Military sources said hundreds of the Boko Haram gunmen in a convoy of several utilities vehicles and motorcycles had stormed Kondunga in the early hours of Friday but were heavily repelled by the military and the youth vigilante group who laid ambush for them.

A Civilian JTF member, Kolobe Abdullahi, said: “We couldn't sleep yesterday as we all kept vigil in Konduga since we got hint that the insurgents intended to attack us.”

He said they cooperated with the military in keeping vigil throughout the night as they awaited the insurgents.

“People sighted them when they were coming and they were seriously dealt with. As I am telling you, more than 100 of them were killed and several others sustained injuries,” Kolobe said.

He added: “We destroyed all their sport utility vehicles, some cars and motorcycles. We also seized some arms and vehicles.”

The defeat of the insurgents was also confirmed by a military source at the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri just as a Kondunga resident, Abba Ali, said what could have been a sad day for the people of the town was averted.

“We are now celebrating the killing of scores of Boko Haram. I think today is the happiest day in my life as Boko Haram had killed two of my brothers in their recent attack on Konduga. But today, many of their bodies were all scattered on the streets. I salute the courage of our gallant soldiers and members of Civilians JTF.We are ready for them,” Ali said.

According to him, “Our people and the Civilian JTF climbed trees and telecom masts to sight them in the morning and behold they were coming, hundreds in number, in Hilux vans and motorcycles and cars. The soldiers waited for them and when they came, they attacked them immediately. Alhamudllahi, we are so happy today.”