Three students killed as troops foil attacks, rescue 46 students

…Pastor’s wife, three children abducted on Borno highway

At least three students have been killed in gunfire when Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) fighters attempted a mass abduction at a student hostel in Monguno, where troops rescued all 46 occupants in Borno State.

BusinessDay gathered that the students lost their lives in a crossfire during a gun battle between troops and terrorists in Monguno.

An insider told BusinessDay that the identities of the slain students were being protected to enable the Authority to inform the relatives of the victims.

“Unfortunately, we lost three students when the terrorists infiltrated our students’ hotel in Monguno. Thankfully, our troops displayed gallantry in rescuing other students”, an insider revealed.

Mohammed Goni, the Acting Military Information Officer at Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai I, in a statement issued on Sunday, noted that “the attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno.

“The Borno State Government is currently using the school as temporary hostel accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.”

The military said the attackers allegedly gained access to the facility with the assistance of suspected collaborators.

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Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, supported by personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force, responded swiftly and engaged the attackers.

The statement further said the Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force reinforced the security team, forcing the assailants to flee without abducting any student.

Although parts of the school buildings were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, security forces successfully secured the facility.

“The military said all 46 students were rescued and evacuated to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno for medical assessment”, the statement stated.

However, the statement said some students were killed after being struck by sporadic gunfire during the attack. The military did not disclose the number of casualties.

Meanwhile, suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have abducted the wife of a pastor, alongside her three children in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 12 noon on Saturday near Kareto Village on the Maiduguri-Damasak road.

The source added that the family members were travelling to Damasak, where the clergyman Moses Guguma is in charge of the COCIN Church.

“The terrorists intercepted the commercial vehicle close to Kareto village, and asked the pastor’s wife, along with her 3 children, to alight from the vehicle. They allowed other passengers to proceed on the journey and vanished into the bush with the pastor’s family”, a local source said.