National
Troops Repel Two Terrorist Attacks in Borno
By: Adamu Aliyu Ngulde
Nigerian troops repelled two separate Boko Haram attacks in Borno State late Sunday, pushing back militants who attempted to infiltrate Pulka, a town near the border with Cameroon, according to local and security sources.
Pulka, about 109 kilometers southeast of Maiduguri, came under attack around 9 p.m. Residents said gunmen believed to be Boko Haram fighters approached from the surrounding bush before being confronted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.
Earlier, at about 7:58 p.m., another group of militants descended from the Mandara Mountains and overran a small army position at Maraban Ngoshe along the Kirawa road, briefly dislodging the troops stationed there.
Security officials said soldiers later regrouped and returned to their posts. They reported no military casualties.
The twin assaults came days after eight local hunters were killed in Warabe, also in Gwoza Local Government Area.
The hunters, who work alongside security forces as community vigilantes, were ambushed during a firefight with militants on Thursday.
A member of the volunteer force said reinforcements from Pulka attempted to reach the hunters but were halted by another Boko Haram group lying in wait along the road. He said the militants wielded light machine guns, while the volunteers were armed only with pump-action rifles.
He said the volunteers watched helplessly as attackers pursued the hunters on motorcycles. The group withdrew after learning that additional troops were deploying from the Brigade in Gwoza.
Military officials say ground forces remain on alert across the region. But security analysts warn that the recent redeployment of some Air Force assets, including Super Tucano aircraft, could leave the area more vulnerable.
They also cite ongoing shortages of military equipment as a growing concern amid renewed militant activity in the northeast.
