Fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) have kidnapped two Nigerian Soldiers and scores of civilians in co-ordinated attacks at Maiduguri and environs in Borno State.
This is coming a couple of days after intelligence reported the illegal importation of fighters and military materials into the country from Libya by agents suspected to be in close cahoots with ISIS and their West African counterparts, ISWAP.
Intelligence also did a couple of subsequent write-ups detailing the intent of the the group to carry out operations in Borno, especially around Mallam Fatori, Baga, Bama, Kaga as well as some other areas.
On the second day of November, for instance, there was a report that bandits sucessfully carjacked several vehicles and abducted the passengers along Mallam Fatori road in Maiduguri. Sources said it took the intervention of Government Forces to quell that operation.
The next day, suspected Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) Soldiers aboard several vehicles, entered the towns at Kaga Local Government Area in Borno State and started shootings sporadically into the air, ostensibly to scare security forces away from their operations.
The terrorists reportedly avoided the main entry points where Government Forces are usually positionsed. They allegedly infiltrated the town through secondary roads without making contact with the Government Forces, which in itself shows how much knowledge and information is available to these ISIS Soldiers.
While the operations lasted, the bandits entered and looted a Government health facility backed by an NGO, along the Damaturu – Maiduguri Road and looted medical, food and other supplies.
They subsequently proceeded to another health facility near Karirem and attempted to set it ablaze. However, they retreated upon sighting the Nigeria Military Forces approaching.
It was also reported that the operatives also abducted two Policemen and an engineer who were working at a private tele-communication facility. The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed responsibility for the attack.
There was also an incident at Maiduguri-Damaturu road, where (ISWAP) operatives stopped eight vehicles and took them a few kilometres away from the main road. They reportedly screened the passengers and drivers by physical appearances. They abducted seventeen people and drove them to a yet to be known destination.
Among those kidnapped were two off duty Nigerian Army personnel as well other fifteen civilians said to be wearing what they described as “Non-traditional clothes.” The other passengers were released along with their vehicles.
At the same spot, the ISWAP operatives reportedly fired shots towards two vehicles that had stopped upon sighting them from afar. The drivers and the passengers disembarked and fled into the bush. Subsequently, they set the two vehicles ablaze, right there on the expressway.
It is imperative for the Nigerian Government to increase logistics and other supplies to these areas to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order in that zone.
Credit: Eons intelligence
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