Obasanjo’s Son Eager to Return to Warfront, Military Recaptures Bazza

The injured son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Lt. Col. Adeboye Obasanjo, who was shot on Monday in Bazza, a suburb of Michika Local Government Area in Adamawa State, where he was leading a platoon against Boko Haram terrorists, has expressed eagerness to return to the battlefront immediately.

His eagerness to return to the frontline coincided with reports from military sources yesterday that Bazza had been recaptured and Nigerian troops were making advances to dislodge the sect from Michika.

This is as Adeboye’s father, a retired army General, who led the Nigerian Army’s 3 Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War, dismissed the advice by his close friends to fly his son overseas for treatment from the gunshot wounds he sustained.

Sources close to the former president said he had established that his son, who had been admitted at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yola, was stable and recuperating.

Confirming this, the Public Relations Officer of FMC, Yola, Mallam Adam Dodo, said the General’s son was recuperating from the injuries he sustained.
He added that the young military officer was in good condition and was allowed to receive visitors and dignitaries who flooded the hospital to wish him a quick recovery.

One of such visitors was the former president’s deputy, Atiku Abubakar, who on learning that the younger Obasanjo was at FMC, went to visit him yesterday afternoon.

A source at the hospital told THISDAY that Atiku was glad to find the soldier son of the former president in high spirits.

According to the source, the former vice-president, who recently mended fences with his former boss was impressed to learn from the injured officer his readiness to return to the warfront to battle the insurgents.

The source quoted Atiku to have told Lt.-Col. Obasanjo that he was impressed to see him display the type of courage that his father was known for.
“He was even marching before me, even as he was recovering from gunshot wounds,” the source recounted Atiku as stating.

The Turaki Adamawa was said to have wished him a speedy recovery from the injuries he sustained in the line of duty.

Another visitor at the FMC to see Adeboye was the acting Governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri.

Fintiri commended the men and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces who had been fighting bravely to defend the country’s territorial integrity.
Also, the federal government has given the assurance that military officers who recovered from injuries sustained during gun battles with insurgents will return to the battlefield.

Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC) and Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mr. Mike Omeri, gave this assurance at the centre yesterady in Abuja.

Speaking specifically about Obasanjo’s son, he confirmed that Adeboye was recuperating and would soon return to duty.

“He spoke to me and promised to return to continue the fight against terrorism as soon as he recovers,” he stated.

Omeri also said the areas reportedly captured by insurgents would soon be recovered by the Nigerian troops.

According to Omeri, efforts were ongoing to recapture the Madagali area in Adamawa State, just like Bama and other areas that had been recovered by the military.
“Our officers are doing their best to secure the place,” he said.

Nigerian Troops Recapture Bazza

Corroborating Omeri’s statement, a military source informed THISDAY yesterday that Nigerian troops had recaptured Bazza in Adamawa State after a fierce battle with the outlawed Boko Haram group, leading to the death of several of its members.

The senior military source confirmed that the troops were also fighting valiantly to uproot members of the sect from Michika.

“It was after our air force jets bombarded their strongholds mounted on roads that the troopsmoved in on a clearing mission,” the officer revealed.
He said more troops had been sent to Michika, Gulak and Mubi to combat the insurgents, assuring THISDAY that the military would overwhelm the insurgents in the area.

Emir of Mubi Flees

However, THISDAY learnt that as the troops fought to stop Boko Haram from advancing on the commercial border town of Mubi in Adamawa State, its Emir, Abubakar Isa Ahmadu, fled the town for fear that it would be overrun by the terrorists.

The Emir and hundreds of residents, it was gathered, took to their heels on hearing of the fierce fighting in Madagali, Gulak, Michika, Bazza and its environs, as the insurgents made a daring attempt to head for Mubi, which is also the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.

“We couldn’t sleep due to the heavy gunshots that pervaded the air in the night and for now, no one could say the exact situation,” one of the residents of Gulak said.

Another source in Michika, who had already fled to a nearby village, said members of the sect kept shooting and chanting “Allahu Akbar”.

Also, Hajiya Maryam in Mubi informed THISDAY that people were now living in fear, despair and agony, “even our Emir, His Royal Highness had to leave at night.”

She said the emir was sneaked out by security forces following reports that the insurgents were advancing on Mubi that was already sprawling with refugees from Madagali, Michika, Gulak and Bazza.

“His Highness had earlier refused to leave the town, but security personnel mounted pressure on him,” said another source.

Military Expands Aerial Onslaught

Meanwhile, following the opening of many battlefronts, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in support of the ground troops, which have been engaged in arm-to-arm combat to dislodge the insurgents, has expanded the scope of its aerial operations in the North-east of the country.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) also debunked reports that 24 soldiers died in the hands of the insurgents during the Monday attack on Bazza where Lt.-Col. Obasanjo was shot.

In an SMS response to THISDAY inquiries, a senior military officer said: “The military is reluctant to speak for strategic, operational and tactical reasons but aerial attacks continue in several places including Michika and Bama.”

The officer further revealed that NAF Tactical Air Command (TAC), Makurdi, which is responsible for interpreting, implementing and controlling NAF operational plans was fully involved in the ongoing operations in Adamawa State.

“The 33 Logistics Group, Makurdi, is helping out and the F-7 Alpha fighter jets have joined the fighting from Markudi, in addition to the ones being conducted from the 75 Strike Group, Yola,” the source said.

Concerning the claim by Boko Haram that it was still in control of Bama town in Borno State, another soldier who spoke to THISDAY from the battlefront debunked the assertion, saying even though there was still some resistance from the group, the military has the upper hand in the contested town.

“Don’t mind them. It is part of their propaganda as our troops are still in charge in Bama,” the soldier said.

This view was supported by another intelligence officer who explained that while the Boko Haram terrorists still have capacity to cause trouble in some sections of the town, it does not in anyway translate to them being in control.

The source said the aerial bombardment against pockets of resistance had been sustained with maximum effect.

“I don’t think there is any serious issue, only a few skirmishes (with insurgents) here and there with aerial assault holding sway. Like we have been trying to explain, Bama is a very big town, similar to Abuja, where you have other suburbs like Nyanya, Kubwa and others.

“That Boko Haram is still mounting resistance, let’s say in Nyanya, does not mean it is in control of the whole city. That is the situation we have in Bama now – pockets of resistance and infiltration here and there, but our air force is dealing with it admirably,” the source explained.

Concerning Mubi, the intelligent source confirmed that the town is well fortified despite the existential threat.

“There is no fighting there right now apart from that ambush two days ago, but there is fierce fighting going on at Michika,” he revealed.
This was also confirmed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who called for calm and assured members of the public that the military has the upper hand in the current round of operations.

Olukolade also noted that while there had been remarkable progress in the key city of Bama, the military was reluctant to say much until their maximum objective had been achieved.

“We are not yet as assertive as we want to be. Our guys are there in what we call exploitation as our grip is not yet rooted, while the aerial bombardment still takes precedence until all forms of major resistance have been taken out,” he said.

On the Bazza ambush, the defence spokesman also debunked several media reports (not THISDAY) that over 24 soldiers were killed on Monday while some others were injured (including Obasanjo’s son).

He stated that the gunfight with the terrorists resulted in the injury of five soldiers including Lt.-Col, Obansajo, while one soldier was still missing.

He said: “As for yesterday (Monday), we want to appeal to the media to scale down on their speculations because the claim that we lost 24 soldiers is not true.
“We did not lose 24 soldiers as was widely reported in some papers. We only have five wounded and one is missing in action.”

Olukolade further urged the public not to despair, promising that the results of their expanded operations and counter-terrorism offensive would be evident for all to see.

“Every effort is being made to ensure that not only are these insurgents forced to retreat, we will use the opportunity to destroy their bases. We are confident that very soon the result of our operations will be very glaring for all to see,” he said.

Refugee Crisis

However, owing to the intense fighting in northern Adamawa, the state capital, Yola, became a beehive of activities yesterday as fleeing residents from Mubi, Gulak, Michika and Madagali Local Government Areas flooded the city.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who arrived the state capital yesterday from the affected areas, told journalists that motorists and commercial vehicle operators had taken advantage of the situation and were charging exorbitant fares ranging from N5,000 to N6,000 per head instead of the usual N1,000.

A fleeing resident said many people who could not afford the fares were stranded and had been left behind, while many fleeing families without relatives in Yola had started taking refuge at public institutions in the capital, especially primary schools.

Some IDPs had already camped at the Nassarawo Bye-pass Primary School, as other IDPs kept trooping into the school even as they sought the assistance of individuals as many of them said they escaped with nothing.

Addressing the crisis yesterday, the acting governor in a state broadcast confirmed that the insurgents in the past four days had made incursions into the headquarters of Madagali and Michika Local Government Areas, leading to the displacement of scores of people and the loss of lives.

He described the development as an unfortunate chapter in the history of the state.
“On behalf of the government and the people of Adamawa State, let me once more deeply sympathise with the people of the two local government areas and hasten to re-assure that everything that needs to be done is being done to bring the situation under control,” he said.

He said the state government had made preparations to cushion the hardship and fallout of the attacks on their communities through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which were directed to identify victims and provide them with relief materials immediately.

“I have just held an emergency security meeting with all the service commanders and Commissioner of Police and have spoken to the Military High Command which has re-assured us of an immediate response to halt the incursions within the shortest possible time.

“I hereby call for calm in the affected areas and appeal that no one should panic, raise false alarms and rumours capable of further throwing innocent people into confusion,” he said.

He also appealed to the citizens of Mubi and surrounding villages to remain where they are and not to move out of the town, as the military and security forces were on high alert and ready to defend the area.

“Finally, I urge all citizens of the state not to panic and regard troops movement in and around the affected areas not as a threat but the normal troop rotation as events unfold,” Fintiri said.