Fear has gripped residents of some communi­ties around the border of Borno and Ad­amawa states following rumours that Boko Ha­ram insurgents fleeing from Gwoza may attack their communities.
Ezekiel Musa and Markus Yalah, both residents of Askira, south of Borno and Madagali in Adamawa State said they fled the communi­ties yesterday to Maiduguri to stay with their brothers in response to the rumour that Boko Haram was planning to attack their towns.
“We heard Boko Haram men left Gwoza and have vowed to attack some com­munities in Askira/Uba again. So most people have not been sleeping very well since Thursday. We had to leave because everybody is talking about it. We came through Biu to Gujba in Yobe,” Markus disclosed.
Also, a Maiduguri resident who did not want his name in print confirmed the develop­ment, adding that his mother intimated him about the anxiety in his village. “My mother told me people in our village didn’t sleep since Thursday. I asked her to come to Maiduguri, but she refused, I’m worried about her safety now,” the resident, a civil servant told Sunday Sun. He said the movement of Boko Haram insurgent out of Gwoza on Thursday has triggered panic in the area.
For nearly 10 days, Boko Haram insurgents took over Gwoza town, about 183 from the capital Maiduguri after a deadly attack. Thousands of residents were forced to flee the area even as mili­tary forces battled to regain control of the hilly town. Sources however said the in­tensity of military air strikes on the area pushed out the in­surgents on Thursday as they headed for Pulka, few kilo­metres away where they car­ried out another attack, fuel­ing speculation the terrorists may visit other communities southward with violence.
Meanwhile, a member representing Gwoza State Constituency in the Borno State House of Assembly, Hon Usman Jana Babayo has said over 65 per cent of peo­ple displaced by the recent Gwoza attack have taken ref­uge in Uba, Borno and Mubi in Adamawa State but lack food and clean water. He said the situation compelled Bor­no State government to pro­cure relief materials worth N10 million, adding that the materials have been distrib­uted to those at Madagali, 40 kilometres, south of Gwoza.
“Some fled to Uba and Madagali while others went as far as Mubi in Adamawa for safety. Some are still on the mountain,” he disclosed.