Heavy fighting between troops of the Nigerian Military and heavily armed terrorists of the Boko Haram sect fighting to retain control of Gwoza town in Borno State, was on-going last night with Airforce attack helicopters providing air cover as the insurgents remained recalcitrant in the battle.
Military sources told our correspondent that the insurgents’ fire-power in being able to withstand the fire-power
of the military forces was a source of concern to the military high command in the epicentre of the war on terror.
There were reports of casualties from both the military and the terrorists while the sheer number of the insurgents and the fact that they were heavily armed prompted the ground troops to request for reinforcements from the air force to provide air bombardments.
Units of the 213 battalion Task Force and 234 Special Operations battalion both based in Mubi which attempted to retake Gwoza Township from militant Boko Haram were said to have retreated and sent signals for air support as a result of unrelenting gun fire from the insurgents.
The source said that using the word defeat of Nigerian soldiers fighting to retake Gwoza town from the grip of Boko Haram insurgents was childish, but noted that the commanders on ground were only making strategies for more effective offensive.
Reports had indicated that the three days of fighting may have left no fewer than 100 civilians and several soldiers were killed.
In fact, very reliable sources told New Mail Nigeria that some soldiers who led the attempt to recapture Gwoza and other towns from the terrorists were feared either dead or captured by the insurgents and their whereabouts was a source of concern to the military authorities.
Due to the worrisome terrain of the battle area, the terrorists were able to ambush some of the soldiers and demobilise some of their equipment.
The military at the weekend recaptured Damboa town after Boko Haram overran the town and planted its flag.
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