Boko Haram’s attack on Geidam, one of the biggest towns in Nigeria’s Yobe State, was foiled on Wednesday evening by security operatives.
Discussing the incident, Modu Ali, a resident, hailed security operatives for responding quickly to their tip-off.
He added that the troops overpowered the terrorists, forcing them to abort their inhuman plans and retreat into the night.
In an official statement, Yobe State Governor Hon. Mai Mala Buni praised the Nigerian Army and other troops for bravely coming out in large numbers to confront and abort Boko Haram’s deadly mission.
“It is heartwarming that, although the enemy withdrew, the soldiers gallantly pursued them and cleared an ambush mounted on their way,” said Buni’s spokesman Mallam Mamman.
He added that, “The government and people of Yobe State appreciate this act of bravery to secure the general area, and allow the people of Geidam to continue celebrating the Sallah festivities peacefully.”
The governor also called on locals to voluntarily report any attempted terror attack as quickly as possible for prompt retaliation.
“You are advised to volunteer timely information on suspicious movements around your communities to the security and other relevant authorities to enhance timely response,” said Buni.
This attack happened only four days after the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law issued a report detailing the number of Nigerian Christians that have been killed by jihadists since the year began.
According to the report, since January till July 18, approximately 3,462 Nigerian Christians have been killed.
“The number of defenseless Christians hacked to death by Nigeria’s Islamic jihadists and their collaborators in the security forces in the past 200 days, or January 1 to July 18, 2021, has risen to no fewer than 3,462 and this is just sixty-eight deaths fewer than the total deaths of Nigerian Christians in 2020 which the Open Doors’ World Watch List of Persecuted Christians put at ‘3,530,’” read the report.
Silas Odhiambo is an independent journalist in Africa and Founder and Chief Editor at Silvan News.