Members of the local vigilante group also called BOYES, have said they have buried 14 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who were killed in the ambush laid for soldiers, NNPC staff and staff of the University of Maiduguri in Magumeri by Boko Haram insurgents. They said in addition, 48 other corpses were brought into Maiduguri, which include soldiers, CJTF, NNPC staff and five corpses of senior lecturers of the University of Maiduguri.
A member of the group, who identified himself as Umaru Idi, who also sustained minor injury from the attack at Borno Yesu, told DAILY POST that, hundreds of Boko Haram fighters took part in the ambush.
According to him, there was no reinforcement as the soldiers attached to them did their best to contain the attack, but because they were few in number, the Boko Haram overwhelmed them by the superior firepower coming from all direction.
“They fired RPG to take out the first car in front and another military car in the middle. We were all confused and in-between the sporadic gunfire from both the soldiers and the Boko Haram. Some of us laid on the ground, others took to their heels. For over an hour, there was exchange of fire from both the soldiers and the Boko Haram fighters, until the soldiers based in Magumeri and Gubio came to disperse them.
“After they left, the soldiers pursued them and a fighter helicopter also came. Then towards the evening, we were still there when additional reinforcement came and we started to evacuate. We buried about 14 Civilian JTF in Magumeri, who were badly affected, we cannot bring their pieces with other dead bodies that their family members can identify.
” The soldiers who died were taken to the barracks while the others were taken to UMTH. There were some corpses that were identified to be soldiers and they took them back to the barracks after they were brought to the hospital. Some of our friends, who are badly injured are in need of help. Some people, even doctors in the hospital are helping.” he said.
The Nigerian Army, NNPC and the University of Maiduguri are yet to make any official statement regarding the number of men they lost to the attack since the news of casualties figure went viral on Thursday.
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