The Nigerian army has said that it has, for the past eight years, repelled over three hundred attempts by Boko Haram insurgents to dislodge its troops and occupy Malam-fatori town of Abadam Local Government Area, Borno State, located at the border of Nigeria and the Niger Republic.

The town which was occupied and under the firm control of the terrorist groups between 2014 and 2016, had been recaptured and occupied by the army ever since.

The Commander of the multinational joint task force, Major General Ibrahim Abdul khalifa, spoke with The PUNCH during the Salah festivities in Maiduguri, saying it was the first time in about a decade that the Muslim faithful observed Eid prayers in the former stronghold of the Boko Haram insurgents despite the spirited attempts by the terrorists to occupy the border town on the Lake Chad Basin.

“Since 2014 the Boko haram insurgents have been consistent in their onslaught in Malam-fatori in Abadam LGA, no thanks to its strategic location at the Nigerian border to Bosso town of Niger Republic, that axis is strategic to their trans-border crimes.

“The town had remained under Boko Haram control till 2016 when the Nigerian armed forces recaptured it, but the terrorists reorganised and intensified attacks on the location leading to the killing of many personnel including Lieutenant Colonel Abu Ali, the commandant of the military troops in November 2016. But the town was eventually liberated and the army base reoccupied in the same year,” Abdul Khalifa disclosed.

Along with Guzamala, Abadam is one of the two LGAs under the firm control of the terrorists until the Borno State government embarked on clearing of Malam-fatori for the safe return of internally displaced persons which, according to the MNJTF Commander, had seen Muslim faithful observe their Eid prayers during the 2022 Eid-il fitr.

“Hundreds of worshippers in Mallam Fatori village took part in Eid prayers for the first time in eight years. The majority of the worshippers are returnee IDPs who were returned by the State government.

Malam-Fatori is one of the largest towns in northern Borno sitting on the border with the Niger Republic at the Lake Chad region,” Khalifa note (The PUNCH)

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