Son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Lieutenant Colonel Adeboye Obasanjo, an army engineer at the 3rd Division in Jos, Plateau State, was shot on MOnday by Boko Haram terrorists as he led soldiers on an offensive to reclaim Michika town in Adamawa State.
Michika fell into the hands of the insurgents last week.
Twenty four soldiers were also reportedly killed during the encounter in which Obasanjo was said to have been seriously injured.
The Defence Headquarters did not respond to inquiries seeking confirmation of the incident but a reliable military source, who confirmed the story, said the injured Obasanjo was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Yola, the state capital.
At the time of the incident, which took place at Baza, the General Officer Commanding of the 3rd Division, Major General J.S. Zaruwa; Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, who serves as the Brigade Commander of the 23rd Army brigade in Yola; and Lieutenant Agwu were all together advancing towards Michika when Boko Haram fighters ambushed them and unleashed the deadly attack on the soldiers.
According to reports, the army also lost an armoured tank to the militants.
As a result of the attack, Mubi town has practically been deserted following the closure of schools and massive retreat of soldiers from the city.
Meanwhile, as the insurgents overran Michika, security operatives were said to have fled when they ran out of ammunition on Sunday.
A competent source from Michika, who escaped the attack and now taking refuge in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, expressed worry over the deadly attacks carried out by terrorists in the North East.
He regretted that this has destabilised the economic fortune of the citizenry who had laboured in this rainy season but had to abandon their farmlands.
Another resident, who fled from the attack on Michika, Tumba Philemon, who is now residing with one of his relatives at the state university in Mubi, expressed fears that the insurgents may invade Mubi as the town is not far from Michika town, which has been reclaimed by insurgents.
He noted that the terrorists succeeded in chasing away security operatives in Madagali town, invaded neighbouring Michika on Sunday and wreaked havoc on innocent civilians and internally displaced persons before hoisting their black and white flags.
Philemon added that he was contemplating leaving Mubi town when he discovered that the state university authorities in Mubi had given directive that the school will remain closed on Monday and urged students to go back to their various homes for safety as the school authorities could no longer guarantee their safety.
He said when he discovered that the university had been closed, he had no option than to relocate to another zone.
Over 20 Boko Haram terrorists were killed by the troops of the Nigerian Army on Sunday, while three soldiers sustained fatal injuries when the insurgents attacked the residence of former Commander of the Niger-Delta Special Task Force, Major General Tukur Buratai, and Buratai Central Primary School in Buratai Town of Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
A resident of the area, Mallam Idi Buratai, said the gunmen, numbering over 50, stormed the town on motorcycles and Hilux vehicles and attacked the residence of General Buratai and Buratai Primary school.
They succeeded in burning them.
He said: “The soldiers guarding the residence of the former task force commander in collaboration with their colleagues from Biu Military Barracks and the members of vigilante group repelled the attack, killing over 20 members of the sect.”
Buratai said the terrorists also succeeded in burning all mobile network masts in the town.
He said the terrorists, who stormed the town at about 9:30am on Sunday, came through Buni-Yadi, the town captured by the insurgents in Yobe State last month.
A resident of the town, who fled to Biu, Bukar Buba, said the soldiers guarding the residence of the Army General successfully repelled the attacked, where many insurgents were killed, adding that they however fled with three vehicles including a military vehicle, noting that the three soldiers that sustained injuries later died at the Biu General Hospital while receiving treatment.
Confirming the incident, the District Head of Buratai, Alhaji Maina Garga, said the insurgents attacked the residence of General Buratai but the soldiers guarding the house successful repelled the attack, killing many of the insurgents, while three soldiers sustained injuries.
Garga said normalcy has since returned to the town as the soldiers guarding the residence of General Buratai got prompt re-enforcement from he Biu Military Barracks.
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