Babbangida attacked by Boko Haram

The Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, on Saturday night attacked Babbangida town, the headquarters of Tarmuwa local government area of Yobe state.

Speaking on phone to our correspondent on Sunday morning, a resident of the town Mohammed Hassan said the insurgents came strong on the town at about 6:30pm, engaging security forces in a gun battle.
According to him, the places of battle include the military base located north of the town, the police station at the southern part, as well as the local government secretariat, the Government Lodge and the boarding primary school, "all of which the terrorists have the intention of destroying,"
He said: "The security forces from what we have seen so far have been able to repel them, but we are still entertaining fear that the battle may continue today."
Hassan said the number of casualties still remains unknown as most of the places of heavy battle were still cordoned off by the military.
Saturday's attack makes it four times major Yobe towns have been attacked by the insurgents within the last one month as the sect has lately attacked Damaturu, Damagum and Geidam, all in December.
But the attack on Babbangida is the first in the new year.
Babbangida is 50 kilometres north of Damaturu, the Yobe state capital and has always been attacked by the insurgents.