Boko Haram Kills 2 Soldiers in Borno State, Heavy Death Toll Feared in Niger

Local Editor

At least two soldiers were killed in Borno state as Boko Haram terrorists who recently renewed hostilities in parts of the state attacked Mafa town on Saturday, security sources said.

Witnesses said a military post in Mafa town which was about 40km away from Maiduguri was one of the major targets attacked by the Boko Haram gunmen.

An official of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Muhammed Gava, told journalists on phone that "Boko Haram gunmen attacked Mafa on Saturday morning and a military post there was one of the main targets. About five people were killed, including two soldiers. The soldiers were taken unawares by the attackers who struck in the early hours of Saturday morning." ‎

Moreover, a top security officer who spoke to journalists on phone but asked not to be named in this report confirmed the attack on Mafa.

"The insurgents took the troop in Mafa by surprise when they attacked yesterday [Saturday]; and they killed two of the soldiers there.

But the soldiers were able to pull themselves together and engaged them effectively, by gunning down many of them," the security officer said.

In a parallel platform, Boko Haram militants attacked troops from Niger on an island base in Lake Chad, the government said Saturday, in a raid believed to have taken a heavy toll on the army.

"At dawn on April 25, fighters from the terrorist group Boko Haram riding motorized canoes attacked the island of Karamga, a position northwest of the town of Bosso held by our defense and security forces," the ministry of defense said.

"Operations are ongoing with the support of partners to counter the ambitions of this terrorist group," the ministry added in a statement broadcast on television.
However, the ministry did not indicate if there were any casualties as a result of the raid.

An official from Diffa, the capital of the southeast, however warned the death toll was "very heavy in the ranks of the Nigerien army," without providing further details.

Accordingly, State television reported that Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou had called a meeting of the national Security Council after the extremists' attack.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team