Troops of the Maritime Component of Operation Hadin Kai in the early hours of Wednesday thwarted an attempted infiltration by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on the Naval Base Lake Chad.
Naijaonpoint reports that the base is located at Fish Dam, Baga, in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to intelligence sources who spoke to Zagazola Makama, the insurgents launched the assault around 1:00 a.m.
They targeted the newly acquired Swamp Boggeys recently procured by the Borno State Government for waterways clearance operations in the Lake Chad region.
The attempted sabotage triggered a fierce exchange of gunfire between the naval personnel and the attackers.
Reinforcement troops from a nearby outpost in Baga were swiftly deployed to the scene.
“Although the base resisted the incursion, minimal damage was recorded. An ambulance and two other vehicles were destroyed, while some personnel sustained injuries during the engagement,” one of the sources revealed.
The firefight reportedly lasted for over two hours, forcing the terrorists to retreat without gaining access to the Swamp Boggeys, which remained intact.
As of the time of filing this report, the Air Component Command (ACC) has launched follow-up aerial operations to track down and neutralize the fleeing insurgents along the Lake Chad waterways.
Military authorities say more details are being gathered and will be made available as the situation develops.