Chad Forces Bomb Boko Haram Positions in Gamborou Ngala

02 Feb 2015

Boko Haram islamic fighters

  Six suspected suicide bombers arrested in Adamawa

Daji Sani in Yola with agency report

Chadian aircraft struck Boko Haram positions in the Nigerian border town of Gamborou Ngala in Borno State for a second day on Sunday, an AFP journalist in a neighbouring town said.

Two military choppers pounded sect targets in Gamboru for about two hours, setting off loud explosions and sending thick clouds of smoke into the sky, the journalist said from the town of Fotokol about 500 metres away.

The town in far North-eastern Nigeria, on the border with Cameroun, was already strafed by two Chadian fighter jets on Saturday.

Boko Haram overran Gamboru several months ago as part of its campaign to seize territory in the region and create an Islamic state.

The uprising has become a regional crisis. In January, Chad sent a large contingent of troops to Cameroun to help fight incursions by Boko Haram insurgents into its territory.

Three Chadian soldiers and 123 Boko Haram fighters were killed in two days of clashes in northern Cameroun earlier this week, according to Chad’s military.
A fourth Chadian soldier died of his injuries in hospital, according to the military hospital in Chad’s capital N’Djamena.

On Sunday, Chadian and Camerounian troops, travelling in armoured vehicles equipped with artillery had massed in Fotokol.

“Through these air strikes, we aim to neutralise the enemy to pave the way for Gamboru to be liberated,” a Chadian army officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Six suspected suicide bombers have been arrested by the military authorities in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State.

The arrest came barely few hours to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential rally scheduled for today.

Eyewitness account revealed that at about 5 30:p.m. yesterday evening around Mubi roundabout in the state capital,  a suspected male suicide bombers was seen entering an uncompleted building and later disguise himself wearing female dress.

The eyewitness said unknowingly to the suspect that some of the residents were watching his moves, adding that after disguising himself as he  was about to board a commercial tricycle ( KEKE NAPEP) the residents alerted the military detailed to cordon off the roundabout.

He said the military immediately arrest the suspect and when he was interrogated, he confessed, leading to the arrest of five others who also dress in female attires close by the roundabout. The eyewitness said the suspects said they were on a mission in the state to burn churches and that they were 30 in number.

According to the eyewitness, the suspects attempted to escape, but were apprehended by the military.

Reports revealed that the suspects  were wearing the Boko Haram sect’s tattoo all over their bodies which indicated they are members of the terrorist group.

He said they were quickly whisked away to the Army Barracks for further interrogation. Residents called on the security to do everything possible to fish out other who are at large and are moving within the state capital.

All efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Othman Abubakar and the army public relations officer, Captain Jafaru Nuhu, proved abortive.

 http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/chad-forces-bomb-boko-haram-positions-in-gamborou-ngala/200750/