ATTACK: Residents flee Adamawa town as police seek hunters’ help

A fresh threat by Boko Haram insurgents to attack Garkida town in the Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State has forced residents to flee the town.

The town was earlier attacked on Friday night by the insurgents.

A resident of the town who disclosed in an interview with the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Sunday, added, that the insurgents had threatened a fresh attack on the town.

Residents of the town also picked holes in the statement issued by the Nigerian Army claiming that many of the insurgents that attacked the town on Friday were killed, lamenting that the military did not come to their rescue.

It will be recalled that the insurgents had attacked the town on Friday, burning churches, a police barracks, a police station and private residence, including that of a retired General, Paul Tarfa in a six hours operation.

The resident, who spoke to the BBC Hausa Service, said many residents had fled the community on foot, noting that even with money, there was no vehicle plying the area.

“Many have fled on foot. Even if you have the money, there are no vehicles because of the high number of people on the run now. Everybody is scared because the Boko Haram sent a new message that they are coming back”, the resident said in the interview.

Read also: Army confirms soldier’s death in Adamawa terror attack

Some of the residents of the town also criticised the military’s handling of the attack by the insurgents.

According to them, there was a delay in the deployment of troops when the town was being attacked by the insurgents.

One of them, Esther Garnvwa, a member of the EYN, said the insurgents operated unhindered for many hours.

She said: “No single insurgent was killed in Garkida. The insurgents also deliberately didn’t want to kill civilians, only three persons, including a girl, sustained bullet wounds. Others got injured because they were frightened into running helter-skelter.”

They also wondered why the military did not send troops to the town on time thus allowing the terrorists to operate till 3am on Saturday.

In a related development, the Adamawa State Police Command has called for the assistance of local hunters in fighting the insurgents.

The state Police Public Relations Officers, Suleiman Ngoroji, said the local hunters had knowledge of the terrain that the police did not have

Ngoroji, who spoke on the Hausa Service of the BBC, explained that the local hunters could show the police all entry and exit points in the area.

“Hunters who reside in the locality know the terrain better”, he said.

The police spokesman also said security operatives(police) could succeed if the residents volunteered to expose strange faces amongst them.

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