Members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team that were in Borno State for the Presidential campaign rally held Saturday, have been trapped in Maiduguri following the attack on the City by the Boko Haram sect.
The team comprising security personnel as well as journalists has been moved to a secure place by security agencies in the volatile town.
The team which was billed to have left for the Sunday, were affected by the curfew imposed by military authorities in the state capital.
One of the members of the team told newsmen; ” we are hiding and there is serious fighting going on between the insurgents and security personnel. Security men are battling to repel the insurgents.”
“Those trapped are members of the president’s security personnel, media and medical crew.
A vigilante, who did not want his name in print, said about nine soldiers and 56 insurgents were killed at the end of the battle.
He added that the terrorists also lost three Armoured Personnel Carriers and two Toyota Hilux vans during the battle.
Another member of a vigilance group claimed that the bodies of the felled soldiers were conveyed in a military van to the Garrison Command along Pompomari at about 12.30 pm.
Some Airforce jets were seen hovering over the town even after the battle which made fear-stricken residents to stay away from churches ended.
Modu Baana, another vigilante, who spoke with a group of journalists, said “ It was around 2am that we heard that over 100 heavily armed men with APCs and Hilux vans were about coming into the town through Jimtilo. But we thank God that fighter jets really helped to make them to run away.
The development made military authorities to slam a 24-hour curfew on the city to enable security operatives fish out some insurgents believed to be in a hiding.
The Public Relations Officer, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army Col. Sani Usman, in a text message to journalists, advised residents to stay indoors.
But the Defence Headquarters later said in a tweet on its twitter handle on Sunday, that the curfew was indefinite.
“Curfew is imposed on Maiduguri with immediate effect till further notice as pursuit of retreating terrorists begins,” the tweet read.
The DHQ had in an earlier tweet on Sunday morning, said that troops were repelling another attacks on Mongonu by the insurgents.
“Troops are repelling simultaneous attacks on Monguno and Maiduguri by terrorists. Coordinated air and land operations are being conducted now,” it added.
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