Panic gripped Kawuri community in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State late Thursday night after a Boko Haram attack left a forest guard dead and a Nigerian Army lieutenant missing.
Local media reported that the incident started in the morning when a large number of heavily armed insurgents arrived in the community. Sources said the arms in their possession included anti-aircraft guns.
They reportedly overwhelmed the soldiers stationed in the area after a fierce battle.
During the encounter a forest guard was killed and an army lieutenant was also declared missing. However, the identity of the lieutenant was not disclosed.
The forest guard attached to the security formation was among the rangers recently inducted by the federal government to support the military in combating insurgency in the region.
The attackers were also reported to have set fire to parts of the military base before retreating into the surrounding hills under the cover of darkness.
There is no official statement about the incident yet. When contacted, the police spokesperson in Borno, Kenneth Daso, was not audible over the phone. After several attempts, his phone was later unreachable.
For his part, Sani Uba, spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, was also unreachable by phone.
Both officials didn’t also reply a message to confirm the incident.
The surge in violence follows the killing of scores of labourers in Wajirko, a village of in the Damboa Local Government Area.
It similarly follows the execution of a commanding officer and his troops who were ambushed between Damasak and Geidam.
READ ALSO: Troops kill ISWAP commander, others, foil attacks across North-east
According to reports by Daily Trust, troops recovered the bodies of the commanding officer (a major), seven soldiers, and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) on Wednesday during a fierce ground and air operation.
The latest assault comes amid renewed offensives against the Boko Haram fighters across their majors enclaves.
