Boko Haram terrorists have not taken over Baga town in Borno, contrary to reports in some sections of the media, Nigeria Army affirmed on Friday.

“Baga town is not in the hands of the Boko Haram. They contested it (taking over the border town) but they lost the contest,’’ Maj.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and Operations disclosed on the sidelines of a news conference in Maiduguri, reports had it.

Adeosun, however, confirmed that as at Thursday, troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce battle in the efforts to repel them.

“They terrorized the town and attacked the Headquarters of the 7 Brigade of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday,’’ he said.

Giving an update on Thursday, the army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman confirmed that a naval officer was killed as troops repelled the attack.

Usman added the Nigerian Air Force component of the Operation Lafia Dole was mobilised to engage the fleeing terrorists.