Niger Republic, one of Nigeria’s allies in the ongoing war against Boko Haram in the North East, yesterday suffered a devastating attack as Boko Haram insurgents attacked its Army base.
Niger’s defense ministry was said to have confirmed the attack which sources said the army may have suffered “heavy losses” in the attack on Karamga Island.
However, casualty figures were not provided in the confirmation by the Nigerien defence ministry.
A similar attack on Karamga Island in February killed seven Niger soldiers, and 14 Boko Haram fighters were also killed, military officials said at the time.
In the latest attack, the assailants were said to have approached at dawn in about 10 motorised canoes.
Niger had joined in the offensive earlier this year and has been very supportive in the reclaim of large swaths of territory in Nigeria from Boko Haram.
Sources at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, DHQ, said Boko Haram insurgents were facing hard times in Nigeria and were attempting to see if they could operate from elsewhere.
The source further said the insurgents were currently starved of arms and ammunitions following the ongoing victory against them by Nigerian troops and would do anything including attacking the military base of Niger Republic to steal arms and ammunitions.
