by Godwin Akanfe

Sources within the Defence Headquarters have told YNaija off the record that contrary to the claims by their commanding officer, that Gwoza, the headquarters of Boko Haram’s shrinking caliphate, is not yet under Nigerian Army control.

The Defence Headquarters had earlier tweeted that the town had been liberated this morning from the insurgents.

Speaking off the record, an officer said that indeed troops were on the ground in Gwoza, but that as of the time of this conversation, that fighting was still ongoing.

“The announcement was made because my bosses are trying to please Mr. President who announced that the town would be liberated by today,” said our source.

Gwoza, a town previously with an estimated population of 276,000 fell to Boko Haram in July 2014, and was declared the headquarters of their caliphate a month later. In October, 2014, the sect massacred over 50 elderly people in the town.

Kolapo Olapoju