New Year Day Gun Battle turns Maiduguri to a temporary Ghost City

After a protracted gun duel between Joint Task Force, JTF and Boko Haram forces around Gwange, Maidugurii, the town is now in “utter silence”. There is no movement around Maiduguri at the moment. But that has not been the situation since the new yearr’ eve. While the sound of firecrackers heralded New Year in many parts of

the world, the story is different in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in north-east Nigeria, as gunshots rented the air.

At exactly 12:00 am, residents say sporadic gunshots were heard in some parts of the state.

At least 22 people have been killed in three separate attacks in northeastern Nigeria since Friday, including 15 Christians shot Sunday inside a church, according to officials.

Reports reaching elombah.com indicates that there is a serious fighting between Boko Haram terrorists and men of JTF, at the moment (Tuesday afternoon) with sophisticated weapons such as armoured tanks with which the JTF engaged the BH forces but no exact location was indicated.

However, it appears that it takes place in two or three separate areas. Residents told elombah.com Lagos Street is quiet, but ferocious battle is taking place around Umrari, Ngarnam and Bulabulin areas. Residents who were lucky to escape from the war zone reported of intense ongoing battle. DailyPost