Channels Television has reported the recapture of a Nigerian town in the Northeast of the country by Boko Haram insurgents in the area.
The Boko haram insurgents captured Gudumbali, community in Guzamala LGA of Borno State on Friday forcing its residents to flee to neighbouring towns and communities.
The town had first been captured about four years ago by the insurgents during the height of the insurgency when Boko haram controlled an area the size of Switzerland and France in Nigeria’s northeast.
The town was however recaptured by Nigeria Army personnel about a year ago with the residents only just returning in trickles before the community was recaptured by Boko haram on Friday.
About 378 families composing about 2000 individuals began their journey back to Gudumbali after nearly five years in a camp for Internally Displaced Persons, IDP in Maiduguri, the Borno state Capital.
On returning however, the returnees discovered the town had been recaptured by Boko haram since Friday.
According to Channels Television, one of the returnees who escaped the latest onslaught said the insurgents asked them to vacate the village immediately because they had a different mission.
This represents a shift in Boko haram tactics from time past when they usually slaughter most of the inhabitants of any Nigerian territory they capture and impose strict Islamic rule on the survivors.
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Some of the returnees escaped to nearby villages around Monguno and Gubio local government even as the Nigeria Army is yet to confirm or deny the attack.
Boko haram has gained resurgence lately especially after being bolstered by escaping Islamic State jihadist fleeing from defeat in Iraq and Syria where they had declared a caliphate howbeit unsuccessfully.
Independent and International news sources continue to report attacks on Nigerian military personnel and secret burials of dozen of dead soldiers by the Nigeria Army.
The Nigerian Government led by retired General Muhammadu Buhari as well as the hierarchy of the Nigeria Army continue to deny the attacks saying the Nigeria military is clearly on top of the situation and also dismissing claims of the killing of its personnel as fake news.
However, as the 2019 general elections approach, the security situation in Nigeria’s Northeast continues to deteriorate as elements of the Nigeria Army seem to be taking a brutal beating on the Northern front of the five year counterinsurgency war against the Boko haram insurgents.