Nigeria Troops Still Battling Boko Haram in Giedam - Residents

24 APRIL 2021

Premium Times (Abuja)

By Joe Hemba

The terrorists are distributing campaign pamphlets in Geidam for recruitment.

Residents of Giedam have reported that Boko Haram insurgents are still engaging the Nigerian troops in a gun battle in Geidam town.

The residents made the disclosure after military sources claimed that the troops had foiled the attack, which began on Friday.

Some of the residents who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES Saturday morning said they were still in hiding because the gun battle was still raging.

Idriss Geidam, in a whatsup message to PREMIUM TIMES reporter, said the insurgents had taken over Hausari Primary school in Geidam as their operational base.

Another resident, who collaborated the report, said many of the insurgents gathered in the Hausari area on Friday after one of their vehicles broke down.

"We gathered that one of their vehicles developed a fault at the Hausari area yesterday so it is possible they have taken over the primary school for their operational base," the source said.

Another source also said another group of the attackers have moved to the Fulatari area of Geidam town.

A local vigilante told PREMIUM TIMES that dozens of Boko Haram fighters had been killed but added that innocent civilians too could be among the casualties.

He said a military artillery fired in the direction of the insurgents hit a residential building, causing an unspecified number of casualty.

"An artillery gun was dropped at a civilian residence at Aungar (area) Samanaka where an unspecified number of people are believed to have been killed.

"That gun was fired in that place because the insurgents came and started engaging the military from that place. I am sure some Boko Haram too were killed," the source informed.

A security source also told PREMIUM TIMES that the insurgents had taken two gun-trucks to the Geidam police station and engaged the officers in a gun duel.

Destruction

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the insurgents have looted and burnt many shops in the town. They were also reported to have burnt a telecommunication mast and a heavy-duty vehicle for road construction.

Recruitment during attack

PREMIUM TIMES obtained a pamphlet which was widely circulated in Giedam by the Boko Haram members at the time of their incursion into the town.

The pamphlet contains a campaign in Hausa language for the people to join their brand of Islam.

Read the original article on Premium Times.