Nigerian Military, yesterday, put up a brave fight against Boko Haram militants who attacked the dynamite-manufacturing town of Ashaka in Gombe State.
Their intent was to overrun the town. After several hours of fight, the Nigerian Army lost 10 of their men while over 70 Boko Haram militants were killed with scores of them sustaining serious gunshot injuries – most of the terrorists fled the town. While running away from the town, the terrorists carried most of their dead members in three trucks.
Confirming the development in the Defence Headquarters twitter handle, Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, noted that the terrorists invaded the town in a convoy of 30 vehicles and many motorcycles.
His words: “Terrorists fleeing Ashaka on Thursday managed to retrieve three truckloads full of their dead members following the defeat and heavy casualty they suffered after a fierce battle with troops in the area.
“The terrorists, who had come in large number with heavy equipment and convoy of over 30 vehicles and a number of motor cycles, were on a mission to take control of Ashaka town, after they had operated in Bajoga and environs in Gombe State.
“Troops who got wind of their intention to overrun other towns and pursued the militants while some also laid ambush for them. The terrorists were forced to abandon the mission when the troops proved unyielding. Most of the vehicles and equipment used by the terrorists for their mission were destroyed before they chose to flee the location.
“Over 10 soldiers however died in the battle while those who were wounded are being treated in military hospitals.
If we recall, about a month ago, suspected Boko Haram members attacked the Ashaka Cement Company where they made away with a truck load of dynamites used for manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) and since then, several bomb attacks in Kano, Maduguri, Yobe, Adamawa and Bauchi, etc have been carried out with female suicide bombers. The military succeeded in thwarting some of the suicide bombing plots.