Acts of bravado exhibited by hundreds of Boko Haram terrorists who attempted to rescue some of their detained members inside the military barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday led to the killing of scores of the terrorists during the ill- fated mission/ attack.
Reliable sources said that the suspected terrorists succeeded in freeing some of the detainees but the victory was short-lived as most of them were later killed or re-arrested by troops
who were joined by fighter jets from the Air Force to overpower the invaders.
Multiple explosions and sporadic gunshots started rocking the troubled city and environs at about 7.30 am when the terrorists reportedly invaded the town in an attempt to destroy the Giwa Military Barracks (Air Defence Unit) where the suspected Boko Haram members were being detained since 2009 when the uprising started in a bid to rescue them.
It was however, gathered that a swift response from the military led to heavy fighting, during which scores of the insurgents died along with some few security operatives and civilians who also were killed in the crossfire.
Military sources told Saturday Vanguard in Maiduguri that several members of the sect who tried to escape into the town from the barracks were captured at Polo, Sulimanti, and other surrounding wards in Maiduguri metropolis, with the assistance of villagers and members of the vigilante youths popularly known as civilian JTF.
According to sources, no fewer than 207 suspected terrorists were killed while at least 50 others including some Arabs, Malians and Chadians were captured by troops, who also collected their weapons.