▁was ▁mostly ▁mar sh land , ▁und e velop ed , ▁and ▁was ▁initially ▁not ▁heavily ▁cont ested ▁by ▁Germ ans . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁British ▁forces ▁in ▁present - day ▁Niger ia ▁had ▁moved ▁into ▁K amer un ▁from ▁three ▁different ▁points . ▁They ▁pushed ▁into ▁the ▁col ony ▁towards ▁Mar a ▁in ▁the ▁far ▁north , ▁towards ▁Gar ua ▁in ▁the ▁centre , ▁and ▁towards ▁N san ak ang ▁in ▁the ▁south . ▁British ▁forces ▁moving ▁towards ▁Gar ua ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Colonel ▁Mac L ear ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁push ▁to ▁the ▁German ▁border ▁post ▁at ▁Te pe ▁near ▁Gar ua . ▁The ▁first ▁eng agement ▁between ▁British ▁and ▁German ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁campaign ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Te pe , ▁eventually ▁resulting ▁in ▁German ▁withdraw al . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁far ▁north ▁British ▁forces ▁attempted ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁German ▁fort ▁at ▁M ora ▁but ▁initially ▁failed . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁long ▁sie ge ▁of ▁German ▁positions ▁which ▁would ▁last ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁campaign . ▁British ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁attack ing ▁N san ak ang ▁were ▁defeated ▁and ▁almost ▁completely ▁destroyed ▁by ▁German ▁counter - att acks ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁N san ak ong . ▁Mac L ear ▁then ▁pushed ▁his ▁forces ▁further ▁in land ▁towards ▁the ▁German ▁strong hold ▁of ▁Gar ua ▁but ▁was ▁rep uls ed ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gar ua ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁August . ▁ ▁Naval ▁operations