Nigerian
troops backed by civilian vigilantes reclaimed the northeastern town of Chibok
late Saturday, a militaryspokesman
and a community leader said Sunday. The town had been seized by Boko Haram
militants on Thursday.
Chibok is the scene of the April 14 abduction of over 200
schoolgirls by Boko Haram, which sparked global outrage.
"Our troops have recaptured Chibok from Boko Haram terrorists
who invaded it on Thursday," said Col. Sani Usman, military spokesman for
Borno state.
"The town was retaken late Saturday by troops working
alongside civilian vigilantes after crushing the terrorists. Continue...
"Troops are still conducting mop-up operation in nearby
villages to flush out remnants of the terrorists," Usman said.
Scores of Boko Haram militants drove into the town around 4:00
p.m. Thursday and engaged soldiers protecting the town and local vigilantes in
a fierce gunfight, forcing residents to flee.
The militants blew up all telecommunications towers in the town
with rocket-propelled grenades, making the town unreachable by telephone.
Pogu Bitrus, head of the Chibok Elders Forum, confirmed the
takeover of the town from Boko Haram but gave credit to the vigilantes for the
victory.
"I can confirm that Chibok has been reclaimed from Boko Haram
by our vigilantes with the assistance of soldiers," Bitrus said.
"I spoke with the leader of the vigilantes via satellite
phone and he confirmed the good news to me," said Bitrus, who lives in
Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
"The vigilantes entered Chibok and fought Boko Haram from
inside while soldiers laid siege outside the town and take down any fleeing
militants," he said.
Chibok was strewn with weapons, vehicles and other personal
effects abandoned by the defeated insurgents, Bitrus said.
Civilian vigilantes have in recent days taken center stage in the
fight against Boko Haram Islamists, who have seized over two dozen towns and
villages in northeastern Nigeria in the past two months.
Bitrus said soldiers fled when Boko Haram attacked Chibok, leaving
the vigilantes to fight. The vigilantes had to withdraw when they ran out of
ammunition for their shotguns.
On Thursday over 200 vigilantes and local hunters clawed back the
town of Mubi, the commercial hub of Adamawa state, which was seized by Boko
Haram two weeks ago.
The vigilantes on Wednesday reportedly took back the town of Maiha
after a prolonged gun battle in which scores of the insurgents were killed.
The fleeing Islamists regrouped and took over the towns of Hong
and Gombi as well as Chibok. Hong and Gombi are still under Boko Haram control,
according to residents.
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