Northern Nigeria’s riot police training academy has
been overrun by Boko Haram Islamist militants, a
witness in Borno State has told the BBC.
Shots were heard after the militants arrived in three
armoured vehicles and on dozens of motorcycles, he
said.
A police spokesman confirmed the attack while a
senior security source said it had not been possible
to communicate with the academy since Wednesday.
The Liman Kara college is near Gwoza town, seized
by Boko Haram this month.
Thousands have been killed across north-eastern
Nigeria since Boko Haram launched its violent
campaign for an Islamic state in 2009.
The militants have stepped up their attacks after
being pushed out of their bases in Maiduguri, the
capital of Borno State, and have been targeting towns
and villages in deadly raids.
In recent weeks, the militants have been moving
from their rural camps and taking over substantial
towns.
The militants have been in control of Gwoza, which
had a population of about 50,000, since the
beginning of August.
They apparently retreated about 100km (62 miles) to
Gwoza after losing control of Damboa – both large
towns in Borno state.
But attempts by the security forces to retake Gwoza
have failed – and a group of about 40 soldiers is now
refusing to fight, saying they are too poorly equipped
to take on the heavily armed insurgents.
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