Kano - Suspected Boko Haram gunmen opened
fire on a military convoy at the weekend in central
Kogi state, injuring four soldiers, a senior military
source said Tuesday.
The convoy of 850 soldiers came under fire late
Sunday near the town of Okene as they drove
towards the Kogi state capital Lokoja, the source
said.
The troops were to undergo counter-terrorism
training for deployment to the northeast to fight
Boko Haram, he said.
They "came under fire... from gunmen we strongly
suspect to be Boko Haram terrorists," said the
source, who requested anonymity because he was
not authorised to discuss the incident.
"The soldiers returned fire and repelled the attack
but four soldiers sustained gunshot wounds and
are in hospital in Lokoja," he said.
According to the source military insiders could
have tipped off the attackers on the confidential
troop movement.
Meanwhile Tuesday, Nigerian troops were battling
Boko Haram insurgents who stormed Konduga
town in northeastern Borno state, according to
some military sources.
They said the militants were "on a revenge
mission after the heavy casualties they recorded
last Friday."
On Friday, around 100 insurgents met stiff
resistance from troops and members of a civilian
vigilante group known as the Joint Task Force.
An army spokesman said the troops prevailed
after about three hours of "fierce fighting", adding
that the insurgents suffered heavy casualties.
"From the information we have so far, the
insurgents were armed to the teeth. They have
mortars, anti-aircraft missiles, rocket-propelled
grenades and assorted guns with a cover from
armoured personnel carriers," a military source
told AFP of the fighting in Konduga.
"Our men are engaging the terrorists," he said,
adding that their "ultimate target" is the state
capital Maiduguri some 35 kilometres (22 miles)
away.
Boko Haram have made rapid territorial gains in
Borno as well as nearby Yobe and Adamawa in
recent weeks that Nigeria's military has
acknowledged posed a threat to the country's
sovereignty.
The jihadists say they want to establish an
Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria and have
killed thousands since launching their campaign in
2009.
fire on a military convoy at the weekend in central
Kogi state, injuring four soldiers, a senior military
source said Tuesday.
The convoy of 850 soldiers came under fire late
Sunday near the town of Okene as they drove
towards the Kogi state capital Lokoja, the source
said.
The troops were to undergo counter-terrorism
training for deployment to the northeast to fight
Boko Haram, he said.
They "came under fire... from gunmen we strongly
suspect to be Boko Haram terrorists," said the
source, who requested anonymity because he was
not authorised to discuss the incident.
"The soldiers returned fire and repelled the attack
but four soldiers sustained gunshot wounds and
are in hospital in Lokoja," he said.
According to the source military insiders could
have tipped off the attackers on the confidential
troop movement.
Meanwhile Tuesday, Nigerian troops were battling
Boko Haram insurgents who stormed Konduga
town in northeastern Borno state, according to
some military sources.
They said the militants were "on a revenge
mission after the heavy casualties they recorded
last Friday."
On Friday, around 100 insurgents met stiff
resistance from troops and members of a civilian
vigilante group known as the Joint Task Force.
An army spokesman said the troops prevailed
after about three hours of "fierce fighting", adding
that the insurgents suffered heavy casualties.
"From the information we have so far, the
insurgents were armed to the teeth. They have
mortars, anti-aircraft missiles, rocket-propelled
grenades and assorted guns with a cover from
armoured personnel carriers," a military source
told AFP of the fighting in Konduga.
"Our men are engaging the terrorists," he said,
adding that their "ultimate target" is the state
capital Maiduguri some 35 kilometres (22 miles)
away.
Boko Haram have made rapid territorial gains in
Borno as well as nearby Yobe and Adamawa in
recent weeks that Nigeria's military has
acknowledged posed a threat to the country's
sovereignty.
The jihadists say they want to establish an
Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria and have
killed thousands since launching their campaign in
2009.
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