Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said that nothing short of prayers will save Nigeria from the ongoing killing spree by suspected terrorist groups.

Dogara spoke as Boko Haram insurgents allegedly overran a military base in the northern part of Borno.

Apparently disturbed by the avoidable bloodletting in the country, the Speaker has accordingly enjoined Muslims  to use this Ramadan period to pray fervently against the spate of killings, kidnappings and armed banditry in the country.

In a message to the Muslim Ummah to mark the Ramadan fast, Dogara also appealed to the well- to-do in the society to show compassion and extend hands of support to the less privileged ones in the spirit of the season especially thousands of Internally Displaced Persons across the country.

He described Ramadan as a period of devotion, obedience and  spiritual rebirth and urged the faithful to commit themselves to prayers for peace, security and stability of Nigeria.

” As Ramadan is on, I want to felicitate with our Muslim brethren for witnessing yet another season of spiritual significance. I want to enjoin you to use the holy month to reflect and re-dedicate yourselves to prayers for our dear nation against the current spate of killings,  kidnappings, banditry and other security challenges, especially in the northern part of the country.

“I also call on our religious leaders not to relent in their prayers and preaching for unity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence in order to build a nation that we will all be proud of’’, the speaker said.

In the mean time, the Islamic State for West Africa (ISWA), an ally of Boko Haram on Saturday claimed that 10 soldiers were killed in the Mongumeri attack.

The group through its news agency, AMAQ, claimed that it damaged military weapons.

Military sources confirmed that the insurgents stormed a military base at Mongumeri, a small town in the northern part of Borno on Friday evening.

“They came at about 5:45p.m, but our gallant soldiers repelled them. They returned again, but from three different angles firing into the base,” a military source said, but could not give more details about the casualties.

The source disclosed that some weapons were destroyed by the insurgents in the attack. “The terrorists also looted some shops,” it added.

Another source also said that about seven injured soldiers were evacuated and brought to a military hospital in Maiduguri from Mongumeri on Friday night for treatment.

Military authorities in the state were yet to comment on the attack, which came few days after similar raid on a military unit near Sabon Gari in Biu Local Government, southern part of Borno.