The Boko Haram fighters, in a fresh wave of attacks, invaded Damasak town in Borno State on Saturday, setting fire on United Nations facilities and forcing humanitarian workers to flee for their lives.
SaharaReporters learnt that the terrorists, aided by their deadlier Islamic State West African Province fighters, set fire to the UN office and to at least three other international charity organisations contiguous to the UN facility.
“The terrorists came into the town in gun trucks. They first embarked on a looting spree. They carted away aid supplies meant for the Internally Displaced Persons before they set fire to the UN hub in the town and three other buildings belonging to other aid organisations,” a source in the town narrated.
A military source confirmed the Saturday attack on Damasak but said the troops were fighting hard to ensure that the terrorists did not overrun the town.
“They planned to attack the military base first, but we repelled the invasion. Pockets of them then went to the UN facility. The Nigerian Air Force aircraft have been called in and they are currently engaging in air interdictions on the terrorists,” he stated.
UN facilities are becoming increasingly threatened in the North-East.
On March 1, ISWAP jihadists overran a UN hub in Dikwa, killing six civilians and forcing aid workers to retreat from the town despite urgent humanitarian needs temporarily.
On March 15, the fighters had attacked Damasak, the headquarters of the Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno.
The United Nations is yet to react to the latest assault on its facility in the state.
