Troops Launch Attacks To Retake Baga Town From Boko Haram – FG

Security Forces have been deployed to Baga community, Borno State, where Amnesty International said 2,000 people have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents between last Saturday and Wednesday.

The coordinator, National Information Centre, NIC, Mike Omeri, in  a statement on Friday said, “On Wednesday a group of militants conducted a second terrorist attack on the area, leaving casualties and destroying property.  Security forces have responded rapidly, and have deployed significant military assets and conducted airstrikes against militant targets. We will provide further details as we are able to release information”.

The statement noted that “There has been intense fighting between security forces and Boko Haram in some parts of Borno State, especially Baga, over recent days.  Since the first attack last weekend on Baga, security forces have been actively pursuing the militants”.

According to Omeri “These brutal and barbaric attacks by Boko Haram represent none of the people of Nigeria and no religion. Our security forces will continue to pursue the perpetrators of these heinous acts.  We will stop Boko Haram, and we will bring to justice those responsible for the brutal violence being perpetrated against the people of Nigeria.

“The Federal Government’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is providing comprehensive humanitarian support to 2000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Baga at its secure facility, the Teacher’s Village Camp. NEMA, in partnership with the Borno State Government, International Committee of the Red Cross and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, have pre-positioned humanitarian supplies and are ready to send specialist humanitarian professionals to Baga to provide critical aid to the area’s residents once the security situation permits”.

The NIC spokesman assured that “The Government of Nigeria will not rest until Boko Haram is completely dismantled. The government values every town, every community and every Nigerian equally. No inch of Nigerian soil will remain in the hands of these terrorists”.