Ten Nigerian soldiers were reportedly killed in Gombi and Hong local government areas of Adamawa State late Sunday night, in a gun battle with insurgents. Reports showed that Boko Haram insurgents had annexed additional two local government areas in their attempt to move to Yola, the capital of Adamawa State.
Nigerian tribune gathered that the Nigerian troops were battling hard to push away the militants from Gombi and Hong local government areas of the state. The insurgents were said to be heading to Yola, a hundred kilometre from Gombi, but met resistance from the Nigeria troops, who were trying to push them back. Some fleeing residents of Gombi, speaking with reporters in Yola, on Sunday, said the insurgents had taken over the entire Gombi Local Government Area of the state. According to them, a number of Nigerian troops were killed by the insurgents.
A source among the residents said the dreaded group conducted a house-to-house search, killing many residents of Gombi in the process. Meanwhile, Governor Bala James Ngilari has denied reports that the sect had taken over Hong and Gombi local government areas of the state. Ngilari, who spoke through his Director of Press and Publicity, Mr.P. P. Elisha, said the insurgents were making efforts to force their way in the said councils, but met resistance from the Nigerian troops. Elisha, however, said the state government had announced restriction of movement in the two councils, because of the ongoing battle between the Nigeria troops and the Boko Haram sect. He said the decision was taken after the governor held a meeting with military authorities in Yola.
10 die as bomb explodes in Bauchi market
ABOUT 10 people were confirmed dead on Sunday evening, as another bomb blast hit Azare, the headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State. This came barely 10 days after a twin-bomb explosion occurred at a branch of FirstBank Plc in the ancient town.
The Sunday’s blast, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, occurred at about 5.30 p.m. at the GSM market in the town, Kasuwan Jagol, where people, particularly young men, sell and repair handsets and accessories. The market is attached to the stadium at Unguwan Gabas. Residents suspected that the latest bomb explosion in the town was carried out by a female suicide bomber, though there was no confirmation of this from security agencies as of the time of filing this report.
Hospital sources informed that the death toll might be high, as some of the victims were seriously affected. The sources said some of the victims would have to be referred for further treatment elsewhere, probably at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi or the Aminu Kano Specialist Hospital, Kano. A resident, Babale Musa, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on phone, informed that the explosion was devastating, as Sunday was market day in the town.
According to him, many people were injured in the incident, adding that the injured were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the town. He, however, lamented that the incident happened at a time members of the Joint Health Sector (JOHESU) were on a nationwide strike. “It is unfortunate, this is the third time bomb explosion was happening in Azare within one month. Just penultimate Friday, there was an explosion at the ATM in FirstBank premises. Today again, we experience another one,” Musa told the Nigerian Tribune.
Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the lawmaker representing Azare/Madagali in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Honourable Baba Abubakar Suleiman, said though he was out of town, hospital sources informed him that 12 people died in the incident, while 46 others sustained varying degrees of injury. The lawmaker, who is the Majority Leader in the assembly, stated that the current insurgency in the country portrayed Nigeria as a failed nation.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the bomb explosion, but could not confirm the actual figure of the casualties.
