Nigerian Army Urges Calm as Residents in Northeast Flee Cities

(Bloomberg) -- Residents in and near Nigeria’s Borno state are creating panic for no reason, which has led people in the northeast communities of Bama, Dikwa and Monguno to abandon their towns for camps set up for displaced persons, the army said.

"The inhabitants of these towns and the general public are urged to discountenance such calls and remain calm," army spokesman Onyema Nwachukwu said in emailed statement. "There is no basis to leave their respective communities."

The military and other agencies plan to discuss the developments on Monday at a security meeting with Borno state officials.

The state government and the army are working to relocate Baga residents to safer locations due to ongoing military operations.

A naval officer was killed in an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on the military base in Baga on Wednesday, the army said in an earlier statement.

To contact the reporters on this story: Michael Olukayode in Maiduguri at molugbode1@bloomberg.net;Tope Alake in Lagos at talake@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sophie Mongalvy at smongalvy@bloomberg.net, Steve Geimann, James Amott

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