Boko Haram seizes Damaturu-Maiduguri road, travelers stranded

Terrorist Boko Haram sect has seized the Damaturu-Maiduguri road, while attacking communities along the axis, according to a new report in TheCable.

The report also states that many travelers plying the road have been stranded since Sunday, January 5, 2020.

Damaturu is the Yobe state capital and Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. Some 130 kilometres separate both towns and tens of communities straddle the road.

One Maiduguri resident who had made the trip to Damaturu told TheCable that the road was closed to traffic on Sunday morning and that many have been unable to return to their stations.

“We were supposed to return to Maiduguri but we’ve been stranded here in Damaturu, because no vehicle is allowed to use that road now,” the source said.

“In fact, the time we left Maiduguri for Damaturu, we could feel the presence of the insurgents as we heard that some motorists have been earlier attacked. Although the military has marched into this area, we believe hundreds of the insurgents are still within the bushy villages along this axis, hiding.”

Another source in Damaturu said transport workers in the areas affected have moved their vehicles from the park for fear of attacks, according to the story.

Soldiers on duty in Nigeria (Reuters) AFP

“The insurgents have been launching fresh attacks these days, and we are worried,” he said.

“Within the town, we are careful of how and where we move to. It appears as if the insurgents have infiltrated the major towns.”

Nigeria's army spokesperson, Sagir Musa, was not immediately available for comments when Pulse rang his number.

Bringing the situation under control

Soldiers deployed to the area however told TheCable that the situation is being brought under control.

“The troops are pushing them off to the bush, and hopefully the road should be reopened later today,” one of the soldiers said.

On Christmas eve, a faction of Boko Haram affiliated to the Islamic State, killed 11 Christian captives in Borno to avenge the deaths of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and ISIS spokesperson Abul-Hasan Al-Muhajir.

Nigeria has been waging a war against Boko Haram since 2009. The terrorist sect craves a hard-line Islamic state from the northeastern region of Nigeria.

More than 50,000 people have been killed, millions have been displaced and thousands held hostage by the terrorists since the conflict began.

Chad withdraws troops

The Republic of Chad recently announced that it will no longer take part in fighting the terrorists alongside Nigerian troops, in a joint regional military operation.

But the Nigerian government has said there's nothing to worry about.

“Nobody should panic, Nigerians need not worry at all about the Chadian withdrawals,” President Buhari's spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said.

“They came here as part of a concept of the ongoing operations. That concept has changed and they are moving out.

President Muhammadu Buhari felicitates with his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu on his 60th birthday. [Twitter/@BashirAhmaad] Pulse Nigeria

“Indications from the defence headquarters suggest that soon, Nigeria will be sending troops to that country as part of yet another concept.

“So there is nothing of concern about the way deployments are made by the MNJTF. They know what they are doing. It is in the execution of their mandate.

“Nigerians should equally not have any doubts about the ability of our armed forces to hold their own. They are capable and have proven to be so," Shehu added.