Boko Haram: 300 Nigerian soldiers flee to Niger – says Nigerien official

From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

Following another war defeat of the Nigerian soldiers from Malam Patori town of Abadam local government area of Borno state on Saturday by the militants of Boko Haram sect, the Nigerian soldiers were said to have fled to Difa in Niger republic for their lives.

A Nigerien official who confirmed the arrival of the soldiers in Niger to a BBC Hausa reporter monitored in Jos yesterday said that 300 Nigerian soldiers who were stationed to restore peace in Malam Patori had arrived Difa state, including injured ones who are currently receiving medical treatment in a hospital in the town.

The official added that the medical expenses of the injured soldiers were being paid by the government of Niger.

The official who didn’t disclose his name was quoted to have said that, “over 300 soldiers from Nigeria have arrived Difa after they were defeated by the insurgents in Malm Patori in Borno state and some of them were injured and are being given medical assistance by our government.”

In furtherance of that, a resident of the captured town who also did not mention his name, confirmed to the BBC that the fight between the soldiers stationed in Malma Patori and the insurgents lasted for many hours, living over thirty people killed including the insurgents.

The resident added that it was after the insurgents over powered the soldiers, that they took over the control of the area which they have for long wanted to capture

But when contacted for comment by the BBC, the spokesperson of the 7 division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, on a telephone, Col. Sani Usman, said, ” I am just hearing the incidence from you, BBC reporter.

The BBC reported that the said captured town was now in the control of the insurgents. However, the consuming of the Nigerian territory by the Boko Haram insurgents is everyday in the increase with many towns and villages overrun.