At least 36 soldiers and Mobile Police officers were killed in coordinated Boko Haram attacks on two military facilities in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. The assaults occurred around 1:00 a.m. on Friday in Buniyadi and Buni Gari, both within the hometown of Governor Mai Mala Buni. The targets were the Theatre Training Centre in Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari. Surviving soldiers told SaharaReporters the insurgents struck both camps nearly simultaneously, triggering prolonged gun battles.
A soldier from the 27 Task Force Brigade described the chaos, confirming the attack on his base and the neighbouring camp. "My camp was attacked by Boko Haram. In 27TF BDE Buni Gari, three soldiers were killed in action and the attack started by 1:00 a.m. The Boko Haram were attacking us and at the same time attacking our neighbouring camp," he said. He identified the locations as being in Gujba Local Government, the governor's hometown.
Another soldier recounted how his unit prepared to reinforce the Theatre Training Centre after hearing gunfire, only to come under attack themselves. "We started hearing that Boko Haram was attacking Buniyadi last night around one o'clock a.m. Before you know it, we started hearing gunshots in our own camp too," he said. He explained that personnel at the Buniyadi centre were primarily training new soldiers and Mobile Police recruits for deployment in the Northeast.
According to the soldier, the casualties at the training centre were far higher. "Thirty-three people were killed: 17 mobile police officers that came for training were killed in action, 10 soldiers that came for training were killed in action, while six soldiers permanently deployed there were also killed in action," he said. Combined with the three soldiers lost at the 27 Task Force Brigade, the total death toll reached 36. Graphic videos obtained by SaharaReporters showed the aftermath of the attacks, including bodies of slain security personnel.
