Borno State Seeks 300 Militia To Fight Islamists

The government of the Borno state of Nigeria asked for 300 militia to help fight Islamist insurgents after at least eight soldiers were killed during a terrorist attack in the northeastern town of Malam Fatori.

Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno, convened a security meeting in the capital town of Maiduguri on Tuesday and ordered 300 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to assist the military operations.

"The Borno state government in collaboration with the military has requested to involve 300 members of (CJTF) to join the military in the clearance operation in Malam Fatori," said an official source who preferred to be unnamed.

The CJTF is a group of pro-government militia which had been formed in the town of Maiduguri to fight Islamist insurgents.

Major Samson Nantip Zhakom, army spokesman for the CJTF, did not respond to requests for comment. Malam Fatori has always been a troubled town and it experienced a complete takeover by militancy in the year of 2015.

AFP reported that the militant outfit Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked Malam Fatori on Saturday afternoon, killing eight soldiers and two policemen, and injuring 25 others, including civilians.

The fighters were riding in trucks loaded with machine guns, and stormed the town in two waves, on late Friday and early Saturday, said sources.

"ISWAP terrorists attacked Malam Fatori and caused huge destruction which we are working to quantify," a military officer told AFP.

"They attacked the military base and engaged troops in a fight while a second group went on a killing spree and arson in the town," said another official on condition of anonymity.

ISWAP claimed responsibility for the attack on Wednesday but said that the death toll was 20 soldiers, according to a Reuters report.

In May this year, the government of the Borno state deemed the town safe and invited some residents to return to the state. However, things are not looking too bright at present.