Fleeing members of the Boko Haram sect have destroyed over 60 houses in three villages in Adamawa State, a local vigilante has disclosed.
He gave the names of the three villages as Sabon Gari, Kafin Hausa and Dutse Biyu in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The local hunter explained that the insurgents, who were fleeing from soldiers from their enclaves in Borno State, ransacked the villages, took away foodstuffs and other valuables and torched over 60 houses in the process.
Madagali Local Government Area shares boundaries with Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, which was one of the strongholds of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Speaking under the condition of anonymity, the hunter said insurgents might have been attracted to Madagali area because of its surrounding mountains, which could shield them from the aerial and land attacks by the troops.
Another source in the area, Ibrahim Abu, said as soon as the villagers sighted the fleeing insurgents trooping into their villages on Saturday, they took to their heels for safety.
“They left everything at the mercy of the insurgents who went on rampage, burning down many houses in these villages without any challenge from any quarter”, he said.
Confirming the incident to journalists yesterday, the Acting Brigade Commander of the 23rd Armored Brigade of the Nigerian Army Yola, Col. A.B.A. Popoola, in a telephone interview, said though Madagali was under the control of another commanding officer in charge of 28 Task Force Battalion, Mubi, he was informed by the commander that three villages were attacked and houses destroyed by the insurgents.
Popoola, however, noted that based on the report from the commander in charge of 28 Task Force Battalion, Mubi, no life was lost in the attack.
He also said soldiers were now at the villages for assessment and provision of security for the people of the area. (Informationng)