Updated: Nigerian military mum over Mainok attack by ISWAP

An armoured tank destroyed by ISWAP on Sunday

An armoured tank destroyed by ISWAP on Sunday

An armoured tank destroyed by ISWAP on Sunday
An armoured tank destroyed by ISWAP on Sunday

By Abankula

Nigerian military authorities have kept mum many hours after terrorists from Islamic State West Africa Province(ISWAP) ambushed a military convoy and also attacked the military base in Mainok, Borno State on Sunday.

Multiple reports said Nigerian troops suffered many casualties and that the base was destroyed, as well as the police station in the town.

Mainok is about 50 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.

How insurgents could hit the town in broad light in multiple gun trucks and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), still beats the imagination.

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How they could also have made away with some of the new MRAPs being delivered, only underscored the weakness of Nigeria’s military position in the theatre of war.

While PR Nigeria reported that Nigeria suffered some casualties, some other reports were emphatic that dozens of Nigerian soldiers paid the ultimate price defending their position.

And there was the tragic dimension that Nigerian Air Force fighter jets bombed Nigerian soldiers in error, killing many and adding greatly to the casualties suffered from the ISWAP attack.

Watch this video by soldiers on the friendly fire from Nigerian Air Force.

There was no official narrative on what happened at Mainok.

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