Multiple explosions suspected to be Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs) has rocked Damaturu, the Yobe State
capital while sporadic gunshots engulfed the city of
troubled Maiduguri on Monday morning living many
residents trapped in their houses for fear of their lives.
Damaturu is 135 km West of Maiduguri, Borno State
capital.
This is even as another attack at Lassa town of Askira/Uba
local government area of Borno state over the week end left
11 residents dead with Churches including the biggest
EYN church and many houses burnt down by the Boko
Haram sect.
Sources also said during the Lassa attacks, youth vigilante
of the area confronted the sect this led to the killing of 41
Boko Haram members and capture of 17.
The fresh morning attack of Today (Monday) which started
at about 6am in Damaturu by terrorists were targeted at
police and military formations as well as selected houses, a
situation that sources said left many people dead.
Reliable source told our Correspondent that “the Police
Mobile Base in Damaturu was one of the security
formations that came under attack by insurgents”.
“As I am talking to you now, we are in serious confusion
now, gunshots and explosions everywhere especially from
the southern part of the city and people are fleeing,” said
an embattled resident, Mallam Usmanu Iliya.
Another resident who did not want his name mentioned for
security reasons said he was woken up by the gunshots
and blast which started at about 6am, and he suspects
Boko Haram may be attacking.
Another resident who could barely speak as he was panting
simply told our reporter that “We are running for our
lives…we are under attack… We don’t know where to
hide, the shooting is all over….”.
Although, as at press time, the attacks and confrontations
by security operatives in Damaturu is still continuing, the
actual casualty figure is yet to be ascertained.
Likewise, the sporadic gunshots that woke the residents of
Maiduguri according to military sources “were not from
Boko Haram sect, but a routine test of arms and
ammunitions by security operatives in the state”. Even
though, the development puts more fear on the minds of
parents send their children to schools, while those who
normally go out for work early in the morning could not do
so.
Meanwhile, residents of Lassa over the week end
reportedly resisted the attack on its community by
engaging the attackers with locally made guns, bows and
arrows.
Lassa is predominantly a Christian community in Askira
Uba council area of Borno state which is under control of
Boko Haram sect.
Ali Mamza, a resident of Lassa town and member of the
local vigilante group told reporters that,“If we flee today,
tomorrow we will continue to flee and these murderer
would continue to kill. If we had fled they would have
killed many people. I think our decision to fight yielded as
it is better that few people were killed than for hundred to
be killed. We will continue to encourage ourselves,
because they would keep coming, we cannot run any
longer.” He said.
Source : Vanguard.
