By Sam Kaye
Boko haram insurgents have attacked and overran a military base in the Wajiroko area of Damboa council area of Borno State leaving a trade mark of destruction in the general area.
The astonishing assault on troops of operation Hadin Kai yesterday caused a large chunk of the Nigerian troops to opt for a tactical withdrawal from the general area for regrouping.
The attack, which started at around 10 PM two days ago in the night, saw the insurgents launching a coordinated attack that resulted in the death of at least four Nigerian soldiers caught in the cross fire while other casualties resulted from an IED explosion that injured the Commander name withheld and one other soldier who were ferried to the 7div Hospital Maiduguri for medical treatment.
An impeccable source hinted that the night attack on that base by the insurgents resulted in the complete dismantling of the operational pin down base even as the Insurgents captured advanced weapons used to hold that axis of the Timbuktu triangle.
In the unprecedented attack, the insurgents equally overran nearby check points and operational sub bases in the Wajiroko area of Damboa council of the state leaving sizable casualties in terms of wounded in the general area.
“The attack, which began around 10 pm of that night saw insurgents launching a coordinated assault that resulted in the killing of at least three soldiers including casualties from an IED explosion that injured the Commander and two others.” Said our source.
Other reliable sources revealed that trouble started at the base when troops were seen retreating toward Sabon-geri, indicating that the insurgents had effectively encircled and dislodged the troops.
Our source stated that it was clear that the base came under a heavy attack prompting a desperate call for air support and the deployment of two Reinforcement Teams aimed at warding off the intruders and recapturing the base.
The insurgents were said to have succeeded in capturing an array of sophisticated platforms, including a mortar bombs, heavy machine guns, rifles, ammunition, and other miscellaneous materials.
The unfortunate capture of these weapons has raised serious concerns about the growing capabilities of the insurgents whose sudden surge is a red flag on the diminishing counter insurgency strategies of managers of the theatre.
War observers noted that these successive attacks indicates that insurgency in the North East of the country may have a long Way to go instead of the guards down mentality being displayed by the command and control centre.
It is also a sign that the Timbuktu triangle which has been a headache for the theatre commanders is still an uphill task making the maiduguri Damboa road a permanent death trap for the residents who have been hoping to return to their ancestral homes.
The observers noted that ISWAP’s renewed operational speed is actually jeopardizing the stability of the synergy between sector one and two even as it threatens to reverse the progress made so far in winning both the battles and the war.
This is because the pattern of coordinated attacks at the existing operational posts and bases signals an escalation that could overwhelm current counterterrorism efforts from the command and control centre.
As at the time of writing this report, no statement had emerged from the theatre Commander Major Gen Waidi but sources say that reinforcements and combing of the general area is going on to return to status quo even as troops have been directed to remain on maximum alert.
Meanwhile, the loss of advanced weaponry in Sabon Gari also within the general area has emboldened the insurgents who now have increased access to high-end arms which could lead to worse destructive attacks on Hadin Kai troops in the nearest future.
The gravity of these developments has sent shockwaves through the command and control centre and the state security apparatus prompting urgent calls for a comprehensive review of strategies in line with the desire of the Army Chief to ensure that modern sophistication is brought into the war to be ahead of enemies.
This will assist at the reinvigoration efforts to return to the previous status quo were the insurgents were brought to their knees by Hadin Kai and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Our source regretted that this latest attacks of the operational base in Wajiroko, was a big setback on the front line because most of the heavy platforms abandoned by the troops were set on fire including other valuable military equipment.
The reinforcement by the Airforce fighter jet was not spontaneous as it came about thirty minutes late but succeeded in pounding many of the Iswap fighters that made this daring incursion into this axis of the Timbuktu triangle.
Regardless of the unfortunate wounds of the Commander, he was said to have reorganized his troops after reinforcement before being ferried to the hospital after stepping on the IEDs, which injured him and two other soldiers.
This attack on the Wajiroko operational base is very strategic because it is made up of troops from Nigeria and Cameroon due to the fact that Wajiroko shares a border with Cameroon one of the countries fighting with Nigeria to take out the insurgents.
As at the time of writing this report, the total number of casualties and injured troops at Wajiroko remained unknown because the theatre authorities were yet to provide details on the attack after several calls and text messages made to them for clarification.(www.krestnews.com).