BOKO HARAM OFFENSIVE KILLS SCORES

Islamist Boko Haram insurgents have overrun much of a north- eastern Nigerian town after hours of fighting that has killed scores and displaced thousands of residents, several security sources said on Tuesday. The Islamists launched an attack on the town of Bama, 70 km from the Borno state capital of Maiduguri, on Monday. They were initially repelled but came back in greater numbers overnight, the sources and witnesses said. Nigeria’s defence spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sources said there were heavy casualties on both sides. One security source said as many as 5,000 people fled the town. In a bungled air strike, several Nigerian troops were killed at the Bama armoury by a fighter jet targeting the insurgents, a soldier on the ground said. A week ago, Boko Haram for the first time explicitly laid claim to territory it said it controled in parts of northeast Nigeria.