The Nigerian troops seem to have abandoned the ceasefire between the Federal Government and Boko Haram as they killed 25 insurgents in Damboa, Borno State on Sunday.
Boko Haram was the first to abandon the ceasefire when it attacked two communities in Borno and Adamawa states.
Damboa was for several days in July under the control of the insurgents who killed some soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel. They had also hoisted their flag in the community which is only about 85 kilometres away from Maiduguri.
The military however succeeded in chasing them but on Sunday night, the terrorists staged a comeback but were overpowered by the “military during an exchange of gunfire.”
Boko Haram had on Friday, the day the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal, Alex Badeh, announced the ceasefire, attacked Shafa and Sina in Borno and Adamawa states.
Just as the attacks were viewed as a breach of the ceasefire, the insurgents struck again in Borno State where they captured Abadam village and beheaded six people on the Biu-Garkida Road on Sunday.
A military source was however quick to dismiss the belief that attacks by the insurgents amounted to a collapse of the ceasefire.
He had said, “One cannot say the peace deal has been violated; it is the nature of most terrorist organisations to act that way, and it should be expected because they have several layers of operation.’’
But findings on Sunday by The PUNCH had revealed that the Federal Government might have entered into the deal with a faction of the group interested in ending the insurgency in the North-East.
A Federal Government team is to meet on Tuesday(today) with representatives of the sect in Ndjamena to conclude the talks being brokered by Chadian President Idris Deby.
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