Boko Haram recaptures defence chief’s hometown

 

Vimtim, the hometown of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, in Adamawa State, has been recaptured by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Reports from the area indicated that before the incident on Thursday, the troops on guard and the residents fled the town, leaving the insurgents to freely loot and burn properties.

The takeover of Vimtim came a day after Mubi, the second biggest town in Adamawa, was overrun by Boko Haram.

As of 11.am on Thursday major public places in the deserted town like the Mubi International Cattle Market, the local government secretariat and some private buildings were still in flames.

The state government dispatched over 100 buses to Mubi and its environs to move trapped residents to the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Yola.

Governor Bala James Ngillari gave the order on Thursday afternoon when concerned citizens of Mubi briefed him on the current development in the town and its neighbouring communities.

Their leader, Joshua Atiku, advised the governor to consult with the Federal Government on the possibility of Cameroonian authorities allow fleeing people access into their country.

Atiku disclosed that thousands of people escaping into Cameroon were stranded in border towns owing to the fact that the Cameroonian gendarmes denied them entry.

Investigations however revealed that there are concerns in military circles about the invasion and taking over of Mubi by the insurgents.

It was gathered on Thursday that the top leadership of the military were of the opinion that the reason given by soldiers for their “tactical withdrawal” from the commercial town on Wednesday was less than satisfactory.

A source, who confided in one of our correspondents, said that some of the events in the battle for Mubi would become issues for investigations soon.

The source added that the military leadership were viewing the said “tactical withdrawal as an act of cowardice and indiscipline.

He said, “You must note that enough arms and ammunition were provided for these people(soldiers); there were enough men and weapons; also the issue of welfare was adequately taken care of.

“Productivity is expected to be high when such arrangements have been put in place. I can tell you that reinforcement from other military formations has been made.

“This issue of tactical withdrawal is being viewed in high military circles as indiscipline and cowardice even though there are clear manifestations of exaggeration in some of the incidents.”

Another military source told one of our correspondents that the insurgents had as of Thursday hoisted their flag at the palace of the Emir of Mubi and other parts of the town.

He said that a medical doctor and owner of a popular clinic in the town was among those killed by the insurgents who also razed the EYN ‘Church One’. The church is said to be the largest in Mubi.

Efforts to speak with the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, on the capture of Mubi and recapturing of Vimtim proved abortive as calls to his mobile telephone did not connect.

A text message sent to him on the issues was not replied by him as of 7pm on Thursaday.

Meanwhile, a source in the 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yola has debunked reports that some Nigerian soldiers fled the battle ground in Adamawa to Cameroon on Wednesday and Thursday.

“I don’t know which of the soldiers fled to Cameroon but our soldiers actually retreated for re-enforcement,” he told one of our correspondents on the telephone.

However, More doubts have engulfed the state of the ongoing peace talks between the Federal Government and Boko Haram.

The Chief of Defence Staff had directed all service chiefs ‘to comply with the ceasefire agreement between Nigeria and Boko Haram in all theatres of operations’ on October 17, 2014.

However, the declaration of the ceasefire has been marred by vicious attacks by the sect.

On Thursday, some of the military chiefs declined to comment on the ceasefire when they were asked by journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

Efforts made by journalists to get the response of the Minister of Defence Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau, were not successful as he simply smiled and went into his car.

However, when he was prodded further, he referred the journalists to the CDS, who according to him, would address the media on the issue.

He said, “No, no, no, the CDS would speak to you, the CDS would speak to you.”

But when the journalists who were gathered in front of the Naval Headquarters sighted the CDS as he left the venue of the inauguration of the Naval Headquarters Extension Building, he politely refused to make any comment.