480 Nigerian soldiers strayed into Cameroon- Army

 

About 480 Nigerian soldiers are said to have fled into Cameroon following fierce fighting with Boko Haram insurgents.

This was confirmed by the Cameroonian Army Spokesman, Lt Col Didier Badjek, who said the troops had already been disarmed.

But the Director of Defence Information, Maj. -Gen Chris Olukolade, said the soldiers merely strayed into Cameroon and therefore were not “deserters.”

Badjek told the British Broadcasting Corporation on Monday that the disarmed Nigerian soldiers   were   being accommodated in schools in Maroua, about 80 kilometres from the Nigerian border.

The BBC which added that there were clashes in the border town of Gamboru Ngala, said that thousands of civilians also fled to Cameroon.

It was gathered that Boko Haram insurgents had at about 5.15am on Monday invaded Gamboru, forcing both civilians and soldiers to flee to Cameroon.

One of the residents who called from Cameroon, said the insurgents went straight to attack the military base and police station in the town.

He said an initial attack was repelled by the military which killed many of the insurgents.

The resident added that about two hours later, the insurgents regrouped and launched a fresh attack on the troops.

He said. “They engaged the military and caused them to retreat into Cameroon. It was most likely that the Nigerian soldiers ran out of ammunition.

“But some soldiers later emerged with their Cameroonian counterparts and continued the battle with the insurgents.

“As I am speaking to you now (4pm on Monday), we are still hearing sound of gunshot miles away, meaning they are still engaging themselves.”

An elderly woman who did not want her name in print, told journalists on the telephone from her temporary abode in Cameroon, that she fled “ when the shooting became intense in parts of the town.’’ She said that she saw many corpses while fleeing to Cameroon.

But in Abuja, Olukolade told journalists  that the 480 soldiers strayed into Cameroon  while in pursuit of the insurgents.

He said the soldiers were on their way back to the country and would soon be reunited with their units in the North-East.

The army spokesman stated further that it was the standard practice for soldiers who strayed into a foreign but friendly country to be disarmed.

He explained that the soldiers were not expected to react because there was no hostility involved in the issue.

Olukolade also denied the claim by the insurgents that they had taken control of Gamboru Ngala, stressing that security operatives were still confronting them in the town.

He said, “In the pursuit of the insurgents, some of our soldiers strayed into Cameroun. The military authorities are in touch with the Cameroonian authorities and the soldiers are on their way back and would soon be united with their units in the country.

“These are normal procedures; when an Army enters a country and are not on a hostile mission; normally, they won’t fight back.

“All that has been sorted out to the best of my knowledge.

“As for Gamboru Ngala, I can tell you that the operation is still going on as we are speaking.”

The DHQ later issued a statement in which it again explained the presence of Nigerian soldiers in Cameroon.