TheCable

Ahmad Salkida, a journalist known to have access to the leadership of Boko Haram, says 10 soldiers were killed at Nigeria-Chad border on Sunday.

Commenting on Monday, Salkilda noted that the the raining season had turned out to be a time for insurgents to carry out isolated attacks.

He also kicked against plans by the federal government to relocate internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the north-east.

“#ISWAP elements attacked a small town around the Nigeria – Chad border yesterday, killing more than 10 Nigerian soldiers and the military base in the area was ransacked,” he said.

“With the rise of the waters in the Lake Chad basin, military campaigns are heavily limited, but for the insurgents, this has turned out to be their best season for carrying out isolated attacks as the last few weeks have proven.

“There have been a precipitous increase in Boko Haram attacks recently, yet most of the attacks go unreported. It is important, especially at a time when the government is planning on relocating IDPs for the military to be more transparent and allow independent reporting on the crisis.

“Those that are going to be relocated must never be misled to do so, they, and the rest of the Nigerian public have a right to independent reporting on the current conflict dynamics in the region, in order to decide whether or not, it is safe for them to return to their villages in north-east Nigeria and the Lake Chad region at large.”

Efforts to reach Texas Chukwu, army spokesman, was not successful as a phone calls did not go through and a text message was not replied.