18 female soldiers, colonel missing after Boko Haram attack on military base

The disappearance of 18 female Nigerian soldiers who were part of the troops at the Multi-National Joint Task Force camp in Baga, Borno State, before it was overrun by Boko Haram fighters last Saturday has become a subject of serious concern.
Fears were raised particularly about the safety and fate of the 18 female soldiers who were last seen on Friday evening and discovered missing after the base was overrun and occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Security sources said the missing soldiers may have been captured by the Boko Haram terrorists since efforts to locate them since Saturday at nearby barracks have not yielded results.
It was gathered that 26 female soldiers were posted to the military base manned by the Multinational Joint Task Force, but after the fierce attack only eight were seen.
Apart from the female soldiers, it was gathered that an officer, a Colonel, who was the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian troops at the camp, has also not been seen since the insurgents attacked.
Fleeing residents of Baga told reporters that Boko Haram insurgents invaded their town, killing at least 55 people, including soldiers attached to MNJTF.
Both residents and security sources said the attack lasted more than five hours before the terrorists overwhelmed the troops and seized the base as soldiers ran for their lives.
A military source said the attack took the soldiers by surprise, regretting that though the troops made gallant efforts to defend the base, they were out-numbered and could not repel the attack after the expected re-inforcement from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, failed to come.
Hundreds of insurgents were alleged to have taken part in the operation to seize Baga town and surrounding villages, including the military base, which was attacked with heavy weapons.
A resident of Baga, Abubakar Kaka, a fisherman, who fled from the town, said no fewer than 50 villagers, including five soldiers, were killed, while others sustained injuries in the attacks.
Kaka also said he saw soldiers fleeing before leaving the town.
He said Boko Haram fighters went from room to room at the base, but met few soldiers as the majority had left the camp and scattered in various locations.
He said: “Many of us found ourselves in the bush.
“In fact, some of the soldiers removed their uniforms to avoid being identified by the terrorists.
“I saw soldiers who disguised as civilians by pulling off their uniforms and boots to avoid the terrorists.
“Some of us gave our clothes to them to enable them disguise and escape into Chad for safety.”
Military sources speculated that some of the fleeing soldiers may have gone to the nearby Monguno barracks, close to Maiduguri or were still moving farther in-land through the bush.
A security source said the insurgents also stormed other neighbouring communities, shooting indiscriminately at people and added that the militants also destroyed and burnt hundreds of houses and shops, often using fuel and other explosive devices.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Defence Headquarters on the alleged missing female soldiers did not yield positive results as the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Olajide Laleye, could not respond to text messages urging him to comment on the matter.
Newswatch Times.