Since 2009 Islamist militant group Boko Haram has waged a violent campaign in Nigeria’s northeast to impose their version of Islamic law on the country. The group carried out countless attacks, killing thousands of people every month and abducted numerous girls from their schools and homes without much opposition from the government who continually turn a blind eye to the chaos being caused.
The militant’s latest attack has killed around 100 Nigerian soldiers on an army base in Maiduguri on Sunday, security sources said on Thursday, blaming Islamic State West Africa.
The toll is among the highest since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power in 2015, contradicting the president claims of victory over the nine-year insurgency.
“The insurgents took us unawares, The base was burned with arms and we lost about 100 soldiers. It is a huge loss. We all flew because we didn’t know where the bullets were coming from, they killed some of us who went to evacuate the bodies of the killed soldiers,” said an officer who requested anonymity.
The 100 soldiers that just died, remember they’re people’s children.
I met this young soldier in 2015 on patrol outside Jos. Born and raised in Lagos, but serving his country far from home. His mother calls everyday!
Those 100 soldiers have families. At least admit they died! pic.twitter.com/Xnuaqbu72J
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 23, 2018
Opposition presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, who is Buhari’s main rival, called on the government to support the families of dead soldiers.
