The reported attack on a military base in Sokoto State by members of the Islamic States for West African Province, ISWAP, has been confirmed by the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Naija News had reported earlier that gunmen suspected to be bandit terrorists attacked a joint military base code-named ‘Burkusuma camp’ in Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto state.
The attack which claimed about 15 lives allegedly took place in the early hours of last Friday.
Confirming the development in a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Monday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyer, the armed forces claimed that scores of members of the terrorists were killed during the attacks.
According to the statement, “Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with other security agencies, successfully repelled an attack by suspected Islamic States for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and bandits on the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Burkusuma in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
“The failed attack, which took place at about 5:30 am, 26 September 2021, in the remote border settlement with the Niger Republic was swiftly repelled by troops.
“The aggressive operations of troops of the FOB as witnessed in recent months in the North West region has been a thorn in the flesh of ISWAP and bandits.”
Naija News learnt that the alleged ISWAP terrorists came in large numbers using telecom networks provided from a neighbouring country.
They were said to have capitalised on the lean rear area protection force when the main troops were out conducting offensive operations within their area of responsibility.
“However, a swift reinforcement by own troops helped to counter the attack as many of the ISWAP fighters were eliminated while some scrambled with various degrees of injuries, resulting to their pursuit to Bassira in the Niger Republic,” the statement noted.
It added, “Unfortunately, there was some level of casualty recorded on the part of own troops during the encounter.”
The armed forces have, however, said that Nigerian and Nigerien forces in a collaborative operation are currently trailing the remaining ISWAP fighters.
“The general security within the FOB and its environs has been stabilized,” he added.
This article was originally published on Naija News