TheCable

Boko Haram militants have seized the fishing town of Baga, Borno state, and the military base there.

According to reports monitored on the BBC, Maina Maaji Lawan, the senator representing Borno North, said troops abandoned the base after the attack on Saturday.

“People had to run helter skelter – some into the forest, some into the desert,” Lawan said.

“We are very dispirited.

“There is definitely something wrong that makes our military abandon their posts each time there is an attack from Boko Haram.”

BBC also quoted residents of Baga, who fled by boat to neighbouring Chad, as saying many people had been killed and the town set ablaze.

Since 2009 when its founder was killed under controversial circumstances, the sect has launched a violent campaign that has led to the death of over 100, 000 people.

There is hardly any week without attacks from the group.

Last week,insurgents forced 40 boys and young men into Sambisa forest, after abducting them from Malari, a village, still in Borno.