Nigerian troops have killed about 100 Boko Haram fighters while also capturing a T-55 armoured tank and a highly sophisticate Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC ) from the insurgents in a heavy fire battle at Konduga, the second biggest town in Borno State.

Military sources said the encounter took place when Boko Haram fighters made another big and desperate push to take Konduga, a town that has been the scene of incessant battles and disastrous outings for Boko Haram fighters in recent weeks.

The terrorists reportedly began the latest push last Thursday, attacking Konduga from several angles. Sources said that when they found that they were getting defeated, some of the Islamist fighters arrived at the scene of battle from the Bama axis with a surprise weapon, a T-55 tank.

The tank and APC were eventually captured from the insurgents by the gallant Nigerian soldiers after a fierce battle in which soldiers killed more than 100 Boko Haram terrorists, with the military losing about 15 soldiers. The sources described the seizure of the tank as a major blow to the insurgents.

However, Boko haram continues to have a field day in parts of neighbouring Adamawa State. No fewer than 540 houses were said to be completely destroyed in the villages of Kubi and Watu of Michika Local Government Area in a fresh attack by Boko Haram. An eyewitness disclosed that the incident resulted to the wanton killing of an unknown number of innocent persons in the two villages.

Narrating his ordeal, he said the insurgents overran the areas at the early hours of yesterday while people were still sleeping, burning several people in their houses.

Members of the community, who spoke on the telephone from their hideouts blamed the absence of military personnel in Michika and its environs for the heavy damage inflicted on them.

“Since the complete take-over of Michika and Madagali by the insurgents on September 7, 2014, no single soldier has been noticed in the area. The only thing we see are jet fighters which come from Yola, the state capital to drop bombs and go back. Our people are helpless as the insurgents control everything in our local government,” they lamented.

According to them, the insurgents were having a field day maiming and killing people and leaving their dead bodies at the mercy of vultures and pigs.

They further alleged that only Vimtim, the hometown of the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, was fortified by the military in the area.

They urged the Federal Government, to as a matter of urgency deploy military personnel to the affected areas to give the people a sense of belonging.

The people Michika faulted the actions of the political class in the state, whom they accused of abandoning them to their fate.

•Pieced together from reports in Nigerian Pilot, THISDAY and Vanguard. Photo shows Nigerian troops engaged in the war against Boko Haram.