Michael Olugbode, Maiduguri
Suspected Boko Haram fighters on Monday attacked Gajiram, a town in Borno state sending startled residents fleeing.
Gajiram, is the headquarters of Nganzai local government area of Borno State, about 80 kilometres from Maiduguri.
One of the leaders of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State, Babashehu Abdul-Gani, said the insurgents attacked the town at about 4pm but met their match in the soldiers and the members of CJTF who exchanged gunfire with them.
He said some of the CJTF were hurriedly deployed from Maiduguri to act as back up and repel the insurgents.
Abdul-Gani who spoke to our correspondent at about 9pm, said: “As I am speaking to you the insurgents have been successfully repelled by the soldiers and the CJTF, in fact some of our men have to be deployed from Maiduguri.”
He claimed normalcy had returned to the town as the insurgents had been pushed back to the bush.
He could not however give details of casualties, noting that this may have to wait until the deployed men return back to Maiduguri.
Information from some of the fleeing residents of the town revealed that the insurgents came in a convoy of nine vehicles and engaged the soldiers in a shoot-out.
A resident of the town, Abba Ali, who called relatives in Maiduguri, said the people of the town had to flee as the terror group engaged soldiers in a shoot-out.
More details later…
