The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, said it had destroyed two suspected operational vehicles of the Boko Haram sect in the ongoing operations in Maiduguri.
The spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Lt.-Col. Mohammed Dole, announced this in a statement.
Dole said that the destruction was to get rid of insurgents terrorising motorists on highways in Borno State.
“We have been able to identify camps used by the terrorists in planning attacks against motorists and innocent villagers in Kaga Local Government Area of the state.
“Troops of the division, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, have been able to destroy these camps since we began the operations this week,” Dole said.
He said three surveillance motorcycles believed to be used by the sect in planning attacks had also been recovered.
“They mostly used the motorcycles in spying to plan for attacks on innocent people.
“The General Officer Commanding the division (GOC), Maj.-Gen. Obidah Ethan, is happy with the cooperation of the public towards supplying vital information on the movement of the terrorists.
“I, therefore, wish to express our gratitude to the public for the support and cooperation extended to us so far.
“We have been able to dislodge the terrorists from their camps which have been their hiding places.
“They are now in disarray, trying to save their lives instead of planning attacks on innocent persons,” Dole said.
He said the division had created patrol teams on major highways in the state to prevent isolated attacks on motorists.
Meanwhile, survivors of last week Thursday attack in Damaturu, Yobe State, particularly travellers, who were caught up in the attack, told the Nigerian Tribune that the attack has remained a nightmare to them.
According to some of the travellers, they met the Boko Haram insurgents in a convoy of nine Hilux Pick Up vans and thought they were soldiers on patrol. But noted that as they approached Damaturu, they discovered that the convoy was that of the insurgents.
“They attacked the military post at the entrance from Potiskum side. There were heavy gunshots and as the military returned fire for fire, our driver quickly parked and we all ran into the bush. We were hearing the sound of gunshots from where we were all lying down in the bush as if the sound was around us.
“We slept there the first day until the military overcame them and came to our rescue. The soldiers gave us two slices of bread and a sachet of water each, which gave us some strength to walk back to our bus. The soldiers led us close to the city where we stayed until Saturday morning before they allowed us proceed on our trip.
“In the bush, we were crying and praying for our lives and we spent two days amid corpses where the soldiers took us. I have never seen corpses like that in my life,” one of the travellers told the Nigerian Tribune.
Nigerian Tribune also learnt from a hospital source in Damaturu that the insurgents went to the hospital looking for medicines.
“When we saw them, we knew they were not soldiers but there was nothing we could do. When the soldiers learnt that some of them were in the hospital, they came and the insurgents started shooting. They broke into the medicine store and took as much medicines as they wanted and also took away two ambulances. Some unlucky patients also met their death during the shootout,” the source said.
Geidam Promises Automatic Employment for Doctors wishing to work in Yobe.
In a related development, Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State has assured that government will equip all hospitals undergoing renovation with modern facilities immediately after completion for enhanced health care services in the state.
The governor made this known on Thursday while inspecting the completely renovated general hospital in Damagum, a contract awarded by his administration three months ago.
Alhaji Geidam also disclosed that the mission of his administration on health care was to create a conducive working atmosphere that will attract professional health care workers for the benefit of the common man in the state.
He said government had mapped out several measures that would ensure the availability of qualified doctors among other medical staff, adding that already an automatic appointment is guaranteed any medical doctor wishing to work in the state.
The governor, however, expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of work of the hospital project and commended the contractor handling the project for a job well done.
He directed the chairman of Fune Local Government to ensure landscaping of the hospital after the renovation work.
Also speaking, the Chief Nursing Officer of the hospital, Sheriff Ali Mohammed commended Governor Geidam for fulfilling all the promises made during his last visit to the hospital.
Ali Mohammed disclosed that immediately after the governor’s departure during his last visit, the hospital received a new ambulance, a medical doctor, borehole and fence while contract for the complete renovation of the hospital was also awarded as promised by the governor.
The Chief Nursing Officer described the governor as a man of his words worthy of emulation.
The governor was later conducted round the hospital by the commissioner incharge of the Ministry of Housing, Alhaji Ango Dala.
