orders to flush out Boko Haram insurgents from Mubi, the commercial
nerve centre and second largest town in Adamawa State, the terrorists,
yesterday, defiantly renamed the town 'Madinatul Islam', which means
the city of Islam.
Four local governments of Michika, Madagali, Mubi North and Mubi South
of Adamawa State are now in the firm grip of the insurgents, throwing
up thousands of internally displaced persons.
Trapped residents of the town who spoke on telephone confirmed that
the insurgents firmly in control have renamed the town and have also
set up check-points in strategic locations. The terrorists were also
said to have urged all the residents who fled to return as they would
be more secure in the areas controlled by Boko Haram than in Nigerian
territories.
(Photo: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh)
A trapped resident, Aliyu Bala, who spoke on telephone said: "They
(insurgents) mounted check-points in strategic locations, brandishing
rifles but asking us not to panic or run away. But despite assurances
of safety and security, thousands of the trapped residents have been
sneaking out as they said they would not risk staying in the town for
fear of the unknown."
A resident of Uba town, Mallam Salisu Baba, however, said normal
activities have started picking up in the captured territories as Boko
Haram enjoined residents to go about their normal activities while
asking them to open their shops for business.
He said: "The insurgents have also warned politicians not to try to
hold any election in the state as they vowed to frustrate any of such
actions and restated their resolve to capture the whole state in no
distant time."
Baba said the insurgents have assured them of security and freedom. He
added that unlike other parts of the state where curfew was imposed
and people were prevented from riding motorcycles, the insurgents have
assured residents of free movement any time of the day and asked them
to ride their motorcycles and go about their normal activities.
According to him: "The insurgents have assured people of freedom and
have been telling shop owners to open their shops, threatening that
anyone who fails to open his shop will have the shop broken. Whenever
the insurgents want any commodity, they pay for it. This encouraged
meat sellers, tea sellers and others to open for business.
"They provided security during the market day of Uba town last
Thursday while promising to continue to give market owners and
residents who come to the area utmost security as long as they comply
with Islamic rules. They have opened one of the filling stations
belonging to A.A Garba in Uba town as motorists trooped to buy the
commodity due to high demand," Baba said.
Yola-based legal practitioner, Sunday Joshua Wugirawho, who went to
Maiha town to pick up his aged parents who fled to the town when Mubi
was captured, said despite the assurance by the insurgents, several
trapped residents were still fleeing, including soldiers.
"I was in Maiha few hours ago. The pathetic plight of the people I saw
was simply beyond imagination. We were in a commercial bus when some
fleeing soldiers said we must adjust for them to get space in the bus,
and we had no choice than to oblige. It's unfortunate that even
soldiers joined civilians to run away," he said.
Boko Haram on rampage in Gombe, attacks police station
Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, yesterday,
launched an attack on the police station in Nafada Local Government
Area of Gombe State. The gunmen also took over the premises of a
strategic cement manufacturing company in Gombe State, shortly after
killing five people including a Sheikh in a neighbouring town.
According to workers at Ashaka Cement factory, the heavily armed
militants came in convoys of pick-up vans and started shooting
indiscriminately at workers after the security guards at the company
fled into the bush.
Police officers attached to the Nafada station were said to have been
overpowered as some of the officers reportedly fled on sighting the
insurgents who had superior fire power.
Arms and ammunition were believed to have been looted from the station.
Spokesperson of the Command, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed there were
reports of attacks in Nafada, and that reinforcement had been sent
there. He however said details of the incident were still sketchy.
No comments:
Post a Comment