Boko Haram attacks Barracks - Captures Soldiers Wives and Children

Nigeria's military has surrounded a village in the northeast to flush out Islamist rebels who fled there after reportedly snatching soldiers' wives and children during a daring attack on an army barracks nearby, witnesses told AFP Saturday.

Suspected Boko Haram fighters stormed the barracks in the town of Bama early on Friday, spraying it with bullets before torching the compound.

Several Bama residents told AFP the insurgents also abducted several of the soldiers' wives and children during the attack.

Asked about those details, northeastern military spokesman Mohammed Dole refered AFP to Nigeria's defence headquarters.

Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade could not be reached for comment.

Bama residents said the Boko Haram gunmen fled to the nearby village of Abbaram after the attack, where the military sent hundreds of troops on Saturday.

"The soldiers have besieged the village and more troops are deploying in hundreds," said Ibrahim Idris.

"Nothing is happening yet but from the huge number of troops deploying and the large number of Boko Haram in the village one can imagine what may happen".

Karim Bunu, who also lives in Bama, described Abbaram as a village of some 250 people.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/650755-nigeria-military-hunts-islamists-after-daring-barracks-attac.html