More facts have emerged on what led to the bloody clash between
Nigeria’s military and the terrorist group, Boko Haram in Baga, Borno
State that led to so many deaths two weeks ago.
Daily Sun
authoritatively gathered from military sources that the terrorists, who
had been using Niger Republic as their major base, sneaked into Baga in
alarming numbers over some time and were trying to create a major base
there preparatory to commencement of a round of deadly attacks in the
state and Yobe. But for the timely intervention of the military, the
terrorists, who were on the verge of procuring helicopters to add to
their arsenal and commence aerial assault, would have destroyed the
whole of Maiduguri, Damaturu and surrounding states, sources said.
Security
sources told OUROGAONTOP that apart from their intention to carry out
more deadly attacks on Maiduguri, where they have made their stronghold,
the terrorists had planned to launch attacks on commercial aircraft
using their helicopter until they were taken unawares by the Nigerian
military personnel there on internal security operation.
The
military sources said they acted on very reliable intelligence from
residents who had started noticing suspicious moves and faces in the
area.
Apart from carrying out attacks in Maiduguri and its
environs, the terrorists had also planned to attack other states using
the helicopters to prove to the Nigerian military and also the federal
government their superiority. Security reports indicated that even
though the Joint Multi-National Task Force (JMNTF), which comprised the
security operatives of Nigeria, Niger, Chad Cameroon, some other African
countries and the other nations had not been so committed in the fight
against terrorism as they had displayed lukewarm attitude to the mandate
of the task force.
Operatives from some of the other nations who
don’t feel much of the heat of the Boko Haram attacks were said to be
the ones leaking security operations information to the terrorists, with
a strong base in neighbouring Niger Republic.
As a result, they
had access into Nigeria without hindrance and had turned Baga, a border
territory with Lake Chad, into their armoury. The terrorists were said
to have dumps their ammunitions at the least suspicious places in the
town.
OUROGAONTOP source noted that Boko Haram had been stockpiling
in Baga enough armament to launch violent assault on the nation that
they would have sustained for months if they had been spared to hatch
their plans.
Some of the MNJTF operatives, according to Nigerian
military officers battling the terrorists in the region were suspected
to be providing security and shelter for the terrorists in their home
countries and allowing them move freely into Nigeria, and sometimes
undermine the strategies of the nation’s military to tackle the
terrorists.
The terrorists were said to have concluded plans to
commence aerial attack before they were intercepted. Right now, security
had been beefed up around the border areas with a massive deployment of
immigration officers to curtail movement of illegal aliens who were
taking advantage of the porous borders to move into the country.
More
troops had also been deployed to Baga and the locations around the
border from the JTF to push the terrorists out of Nigeria’s territory
and ensure they don’t return.
