About 5,000 Nigerians, including civilians and soldiers, have fled across the border to Cameroon following a twin attack on military bases in Borno State by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Penpushing reports that situation reports indicated this as established by a Lake Chad basin researcher with Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Taiwo Adebayo, adding that the victims fled across Amchide and Limani borders for refuge
“SITREP from Cameroon says more than five thousand Nigerians, including soldiers, fled across the border to Amchide and Limani for refuge, after ISWAP attacked Banki and seized a military barracks in the strategic town overnight’ Adebayo wrote.
Penpushing further reports that in similar vein, Malik Samuel, a conflict researcher with Good Governance Africa (GGA), shared details of the attack on X, explaining that the Banki attack, which lasted about three hours.
The conflict researcher added that the attack was most likely led by Abu Muhammad, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP’s) Fiya in charge of Gargash (Banki, Kumshe and environs).
“Before attacking the Banki military base, ISWAP fighters split up into three groups,” he said. “One group deployed to Freetown, about 5km to Banki; the second group positioned along the Banki-Kumshe road; while the third group headed to the military base.”
Penpushing also reports that Samuel stated that the insurgents invaded the town around 12 a.m. and looted items within 30 minutes, adding that the residents said when the bandits arrived, they declared that they were after security personnel and not civilians
“They were inside the base and spent the next 2 hours looting and loading items onto trucks. According to civilians, when ISWAP entered Banki town, they asked civilians not to be afraid, saying they were only after security personnel and the military, not civilians,”
‘They told the civilians not to run in panic, to avoid being hit by stray bullets. Many civilians still chose to run, with 4 killed by stray bullets and 5 others injured. Around 5am, the fighters had left the town. Soldiers returned to the base between 6am while civilians started returning shortly afterward’, he said
Penpushing reports that, it was gathered that Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters attacked a military base in Banki on Friday, and this came barely 24 hours after they overran another military base in Kumshe.
The military as at the time of filing this report was yet to issue statement about the incident, while it was learnt that both attacks displaced civilians and forced soldiers to abandon the bases.
Penpushing further reports that, it would be recalled that Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) broke away from Boko Haram in 2016 over doctrinal differences, especially the mindless targeting of civilians.
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