NYSC Members Narrowly Escape ISWAP Terrorists In Maiduguri

Some serving National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) on Thursday reportedly escaped an attack by suspected members of the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) terrorist group in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Reports reaching Naija News claimed that the terrorists yesterday blocked the Maiduguri- Damaturu road wreaking havoc on commuters.

The Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Airforce, however, responded to the scenario and neutralized the terrorists while some reportedly fled the scene and took siege at Lawan Mainari village about 30 km from Mainoc.

“Three guntrucks were recovered from a location at about twenty kilometres away from the scene of incident, after they tried to escape on sighting backup troops advance,” a source within the force confirmed to Daily Post.

Another source present at the scene told reporters that the terrorists had abducted some commuters who were later released by the insurgents after a hot chase by the combined team of the Airforce and the troops on the ground.

“They were abducted because they could not escape like some national youth service corps members coming in from Damaturu who escaped into the Savannah on sighting the criminals only to resurface after the presence of military backups on the road,” the source reportedly said.

Naija News learnt that two trailers and one truck were burnt by the insurgents but the military also destroyed three vehicles belonging to the assailants killed.

The report further claimed that many of the terrorists were eliminated with troops still chasing them hours after they escaped from the roadblock.

“They actually gained entrance to the main road by filling the trenches around unknown to the residents. Actually, no civilian vehicle was burnt in the criminal act of the insurgents.

“The vehicles were stopped indeed and there was no movement from about midmorning due to fear. The road was blocked during the encounter and then later reopened by troops who were there in time with the theatre commander Major General Chris Musa. 3 Gun trucks were recovered with lots of weapons. One of the gun trucks was destroyed completely because they came with 4 gun trucks to try our will power,” the report added.

Speaking on a related attack, Commissioner of Police in the state, Abdu Umar told newsmen that he regretted that while the group coming in from Biu landed safely with all their men, he lost three policemen in the team that took the Damaturu-Maiduguri road to base.

ISWAP had since claimed responsibility for the attack even as the three policemen that died in the ambush have since prevailed buried.