The Boko Haram insurgents have captured Maiha town – the administrative headquarters of Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Maiha town is about 25 kilometres from Mubi town that was captured about two weeks ago and about 200km from Yola, the state capital.
Fleeing residents of the captured town told newsmen that they saw many soldiers running away from the area, with some of them begging the fleeing residents to give them a ride in their vehicles.
“The insurgents started trooping into the town around 6pm and started firing shots into the area as soldiers, who had advanced to the area in their bid to recapture Mubi, started running away, allowing the insurgents to capture the town”, a resident, Mr John Paul said.
Another fleeing resident, Mr Mahmud Garba, told newsmen that some of the fleeing soldiers had begged him to assist them with civilian clothes in order not to be spotted by the insurgents.
“The fleeing soldiers asked us to give them our clothes so that they can camouflage and escape from the area safely as some of them had discarded their weapons in the bush. A lot of the discarded weapons are currently lying in the bush”, Garba said.
Garba noted that just like when they captured Mubi, the insurgents did not face any resistance from the Nigerian troops.
“The insurgents did not encounter any challenge as they stormed the town in APCs and Toyota Hilux vans, firing shots into different directions as they chanted songs of victory. Many of the residents fled into the bush. Some of them are feared killed by stray bullets. The insurgents also hoisted their flags in strategic places in the town”, Garba noted.
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