Boko Haram Islamists have set fire to homes in
Nigeria’s northeast town of Bama that are under
their control, forcing residents to flee as troops
advance to recapture it, witnesses said Sunday.
The Islamists on Saturday told residents of
Bama, 70 kilometres (37.5 miles) southeast of
Maiduguri, to evacuate before setting fire to
many homes as Nigerian troops inched closer in
a bid to retake the town, residents told AFP.
Women and children fleeing from Boko Haram
attacks sit at Kabalewa Refugees Camp, Diffa in
Niger Republic, on March 13, 2015. Governor of
northeastern Nigerian Borno State Kashim
Shettima recently visited refugee camps where
Nigerians fleeing from Boko Haram Islamists
attacks are sheltered in Diffa province of Niger
Republic. More than 13,000 people have been
killed and some 1.5 million made homeless in the
Boko Haram conflict since 2009, while recent
cross-border attacks from Boko Haram bases in
Nigeria on neighbouring countries have increased
security fears. AFP PHOTO
Boko Haram Islamists have set fire to homes in
Nigeria’s northeast town of Bama that are under
their control, forcing residents to flee as troops
advance to recapture it, witnesses said Sunday.
The Islamists on Saturday told residents of
Bama, 70 kilometres (37.5 miles) southeast of
Maiduguri, to evacuate before setting fire to
many homes as Nigerian troops inched closer in
a bid to retake the town, residents told AFP.
The blaze forced hundreds of residents to flee
towards Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, the
group’s hometown and stronghold.
“They came into the town around 12:00 pm
(1100 GMT) warning that anyone who wanted to
leave should leave the town and soon after they
began torching homes,” resident Umar Kaka said.
“Not all residents could leave because some are
too sick or old to leave and we are afraid they
were burnt in the homes,” Kaka said.
The arson followed the sacking of the Islamists
from nearby Boboshe and Yale villages by troops
as they marched towards Bama, said Kaka who
arrived in Maiduguri on foot on Sunday.
“We learnt soldiers were coming. They advanced
on Bama on two fronts and met some resistance
at Boboshe and Yale but succeeded in crushing
the Boko Haram gunmen,” said Bama resident
Ibrahim Kyari.
“They asked residents to leave which came to us
as a surprise because they kept us captives all
these seven months and would not allow us to
leave,” Kyari said.
Bama, a strategic and historic town in the state,
has been under the control of Boko Haram since
early September.
“I left large groups of people including women
and children on the way trekking towards
Maiduguri while soldiers moved towards Bama,”
said Kyari, who rode to Maiduguri on his bicycle.
Boko Haram seized Bama, the state’s second
main city, during the rapid capture of several
towns and villages in northeastern Borno,
Adamawa and Yobe states on the border with
Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
The Islamists carried out mass killings in the
town, forcing hundreds of residents to flee while
others remained trapped there.
Nigerian soldiers aided by troops from Chad,
Niger and Cameroon have in recent weeks
reclaimed most of the areas under Boko Haram
control.
In Borno state, Bama and Gwoza towns were the
only remaining towns still under Boko Haram
control.
Nigeria vowed to reclaim all of its territory
occupied by Boko Haram before the general
elections which commence on March 28.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/boko-haram-burns-borno-town-as-troops-advance-residents/

After burning the town they where kicked out and bama will be rebuilt.Shikena

#NeverAgain

Not again

burning the town won't prevent them from dying... Animals!

lawa.. burning the houses unto werrin?

In few days time we expect to hear the good news of how terrorist are been routed out in Bama...

#NeverAgain
#Killthemall
#Nomercyforterrorists
#Godblessnigerianarmedforces
#Godblessnigeria

God will surely see us through in this mess we are in