The
outlawed Islamist sect, Boko Haram, on Sunday continued its
expansionist drive by overrunning Michika and Uba in Adamawa State.
The capture of the two communities brings
to 13, the number of communities now controlled by the sect in the
North East. The others are Gwoza, Buni Yadi, Gamboru Ngala, Damboa,
Marte, Bama, Bara, Banki, Gulak, Dikwa and Madagali.
News of the capture of Michika and Uba
coincided with lamentation on Sunday by the Secretary to the Borno State
Government, Amb. Baba Jidda, that most parts of Borno State had been
taken over by Boko Haram.
A security source told The PUNCH that the sect which took over Gulak on Friday night, moved from there to Uba.
He added that when the soldiers on guard
saw the insurgents arriving in over 50 pick -up vans and hundreds of
motorcycles, they retreated because they were outnumbered.
The source also said that the arms and
ammunition in possession of the insurgents were superior to those
held by the soldiers.
The insurgents, it was learnt, moved from
Uba to Michika, which is the hometown of a former Lagos State
military administrator and Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship
aspirant, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.)
It was gathered on Sunday that they also headed for Mubi, the host community to the Adamawa State University.
A source, who confided in one of
correspondents, said that the military later deployed fighter jets and
helicopters in the areas to chase out the insurgents .
He added that eight trucks carrying some troops were sighted going to the troubled areas.
It was further gathered that the Adamawa
State Acting Governor, Alhaji Adamu Fintiri, on learning that many of
the residents of the troubled communities were fleeing, dispatched six
luxury buses to move them to Yola.
Our source said that the insurgents, who
were firing into the air, were advising the people not to flee because
they had only come to engage the military in gun battle.
He said, “The Boko Haram members are now in Uba and Michika, the headquarters of Michika Local Government Area.
“The insurgents who were moving in over 50 hillux vans and hundreds of motorcycles, were wielding assorted weapons.
“When they started advancing from
Madagali to Uba, the soldiers who were in Uba withdrew to Michika and
they(insurgents) headed for Michika and Mubi.
“There was no shootout between them and
the soldiers even though eight trucks carrying troops were sighted on
the road leading to those communities. Air Force fighter jets were
also said to have pursued them.
“Several people fled the communities to avoid being killed by insurgents.”
One of the residents of Michika, who is
now taking refuge in Hong, Joseph Kwaya, said, “We left the town
based on the instruction of the military. As I am talking to you,
majority of the people in the area have left out of fear.
“The situation is very bad and we pray God to intervene and bring an end to the activities of Boko Haram.”
It was not only the people of Michika,
Mubi and Uba that fled, their neighbours in Bazza and Marraban also took
to their heels on learning that the insurgents were advancing.
A source,who did not want his name in
print, said many people from Uba and Marraban Mubi were also seen
trekking long distances to find vehicles that could take them to Hong
and Yola.
A resident of Hong, Ibrahim Danjil, said, “Our town is now full of people who fled from Uba, Michika, Madagali and Bazza.”
Efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the Acting Governor, Solomon Kumangar, for comments proved abortive.
One of our correspondents also made
repeated efforts to get the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen
Chris Olukolade, to comment on the increasing activities of insurgents
in Adamawa State without success
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