Advancing Boko Haram captures Maiha, another town in Adamawa

Boko Haram has reportedly captured Maiha town, the administrative headquarters of Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa State. This is two weeks after capturing Mubi, which is 25km from Maiha. It was also gathered that soldiers also fled as the insurgents invaded the town.

A resident said: “The insurgents started trooping into the town around 6pm and started firing shots into the area as soldiers, who had advanced to the area in their bid to recapture Mubi, started running away, allowing the insurgents to capture the town”

It was gathered that some of the fleeing soldiers even begged residents for rides out of the town while several others begged for plain clothes in order not to be spotted by the terrorists.

Mr Mahmud Garba, a fleeing resident who witnessed the situation, told newsmen: “The fleeing soldiers asked us to give them our clothes so that they can camouflage and escape from the area safely as some of them had discarded their weapons in the bush. A lot of the discarded weapons are currently lying in the bush”.

Garba spoke further: “The insurgents did not encounter any challenge as they stormed the town in APCs and Toyota Hilux vans, firing shots into different directions as they chanted songs of victory. Many of the residents fled into the bush. Some of them are feared killed by stray bullets. The insurgents also hoisted their flags in strategic places in the town”.