Boko Haram Militants Kill Two in Governor’s Hometown…Troops Defend Police Station from Attack…Catholic Priest Abducted, Killed in Kaduna…Nigerian Army Wipes Out Boko Haram Bomb Specialist, Others
- Boko Haram Attacks Yobe Governor’s Hometown, Kills 2, Burns House
Boko Haram militants attacked Buni Yadi, the hometown of the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, killing two sons of a police officer and setting their house on fire early Monday.
The attack happened around 1:00 a.m. local time. According to local sources, the insurgents targeted the home of Malam Jibrin, a police inspector, who escaped by scaling a fence. The militants then killed his 25- and 27-year-old sons and set the house ablaze.
The terrorists operated for nearly two hours without intervention from security forces, reports Daily Post. The Nigerian military and local authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the attack.
- Nigerian Troops Repel Attack on Police Station
Nigerian troops stopped an overnight attack by suspected ISIS-linked militants on a police station in Borno State, military sources said.
The attack happened around 1:00 a.m. local time, prompting a distress call to the local security forces in the area. “Upon receiving the information, our troops swiftly mobilized, engaged the terrorists, and successfully repelled the attack, allowing the police Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) to withdraw safely,” a source, speaking to Zagazola Makama, said
The militants tried to seize the APC to use it for a later bombing but were stopped by soldiers. No security personnel were killed, though the APC had minor damage.
The number of terrorist casualties is unknown, but blood was seen along their escape route. The military says operations are ongoing to track them down.
- Catholic Priest Killed After Abduction in Nigeria
A Catholic priest, Reverend Father Sylvester Okechukwu, was found dead on Wednesday after being kidnapped from his residence in Kaduna State, Nigeria.
The priest, who served at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Kaura town, was taken by armed assailants late Tuesday night. His body was discovered hours later.
“The circumstances of his death, there’s a sign of struggle,” Kaduna police spokesman DSP Mansir Hassan said, according to The Punch. “The Commissioner of Police has given an instant order to unravel those behind the devilish act.”
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators, but no arrests have been made. The motive remains unclear.
- Nigerian Military Kill Boko Haram’s Top Bomb Maker in Sambisa Forest
The Nigerian military have killed at least nine Boko Haram militants, including the group’s chief bomb maker, Amirul Bumma, during a military operation in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, reports Zagazola Makama.
According to intelligence sources, the battle went down in Bama county as troops of the Nigerian Army’s 21 Armored Brigade, special forces, and allied groups launched an offensive against a Boko Haram enclave. The insurgents attempted to resist but were overpowered.
A battlefield assessment confirmed the deaths of several high-profile terrorists, including Amirul Bumma. Troops also recovered a large cache of ammunition.
In a failed counterattack, Boko Haram fighters planted improvised explosive devices along the troops’ withdrawal route, but the soldiers successfully defused them.
Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
