Musa said this at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, adding that on the day of the attack, troops in Yelewata community were told that another community was under attack.

He disclosed that by the time the troops arrived at the other community, the terrorists had already laid siege to Yelewata.

Speaking further, the army chief fingered community members for “providing information on the movement of troops” to the insurgents.

“Because of the insider information, the actual day that it (attack) happened, the troops were there.

“There was a fake attack in the other village when the troops moved in; that is when they came to attack the other one. That is what happened.

“There are people telling them about the movements of the troops. I can tell you that when troops are moving on an operation, there are people who are monitoring the soldiers.

“Telling them about the number of vehicles and soldiers. People are giving them that information.

“The places they burnt were targeted. They were specific areas. Those areas where the IDPs were staying. The question is, those guys that did it (attack), how did they know that this is where the IDPs were staying?

“Within the communities, there are people giving information about what is happening in the areas,” he said.