Boko Haram Kills 24 Mourners in Madagali as Troops, Police Capture Kingpins in Yobe

By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja  and  Daji Sani in Yola

Boko Haram insurgents have reportedly killed 24 persons in Kuda -Kaya village of Madagali local Government Area of Adamawa State.

This is as  troops of Sector 5, 27 Task Force Brigade, 3 Division, in conjunction Civilian JTF from Maiduguri, have arrested a suspected terrorist kingpin, Ibrahim Jagwal, aged 38 at Gishiwa Dabua area of Potiskum, Yobe State.

Eyewitness accounts reveal that the insurgents in their hundreds stormed the village at about 10 pm Thursday night and killed 24 persons , while 10 persons sustained various degrees of injuries from the attack.

The eyewitness claimed that 18 bodies were immediately discovered after the attack but later more dead bodies were uncovered in the bush bringing the figure to 24.

He said the majority of persons killed were women and children while those injured were rushed to Gulak Cottage Hospital for treatment which is three kilometer from Kuda-kaya village

Another source who simply identified himself as Amadu said he counted 18 dead bodies at the scene of the attack while he also confirmed that  10 others were injured . He said, he believed that more dead bodies were yet to be discovered because some persons fled into the bush with gun wounds.

 He said that the Boko Haram insurgents stormed the village located on the fringes of the dreaded Sambisa forest around 10 pm Thursday night while the villagers were observing wake keep for a dead member of the community.Amadu said that the Boko Haram took the villagers by surprise as members of the community never envisage such attacks as the area had not witnessed such attacks in a while.

 “They stormed our village on motorbikes and immediately opened fire on the people observing the wake keep.

 “As at the last count, 18 people were killed while about 10 others were injured and were rushed to a health facility in Gulak,” he said.

 Confirming the incident, the member representing Michika/Madagali federal constituency, Adamu Kamale said the number of casualties as at the time of filing this report could not be ascertained but noted that many members of the community were feared killed.

 Also confirming the attack, the Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa State Police command DSP Othman Abubakar said “so far 18 people have been killed in the attack but the number of the casualties could not be ascertained,”

 In a related development, the police have arrested Boko Haram kingpin on the wanted list of the military in Gombi local government of Adamawa State.

 The suspected kingpin was allegedly sighted by a policeman at a security checkpoint and quickly recognised him.

 The policemen reportedly removed his uniform and started trailing the suspected Boko Haram terrorist who went to first bank in an attempt to withdraw money.

 An eyewitness report said the terrorist in an attempt to avoid being caught up by the security camera of the ATM machine asked a waiting customer to help him withdraw from the ATM machine which further aroused the curiosity of the policeman who mobilised the Bank’s security details to arrest the suspect.

 Confirming the arrest, the Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa State Police Command Othman Abubakar said the suspect was being interrogated at the commands CID.

 He said the suspect was one of the terrorist on the wanted list of hardened terrorist displayed by the military authorities but refused to mention his name adding that until the police was through with investigation before it revealed publicly his name.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement yesterday, said that the suspected terrorist who turned out to be the Ameer of the Boko Haram at Tumbin Gini, Abadam Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State, also led the team to  Garejin Audu in Potiskum, where another terror suspect, Audu Ahmadu, (alias Condemned) aged 45 years, was arrested same day.

 Usman said that preliminary investigation had confirmed that Audu Ahmadu was a Boko Haram Engineer who specialised in repairs of automobiles for the Boko Haram terrorists group.

It was further confirmed, he said, that the suspect was at the garage to repair two vehicles.

He stated that the vehicles were recovered by the team, while the suspects had been taken into custody for onward movement to Joint Interrogation Centre.

In a related development, the DAPR said that the troops of 156 Task Force Battalion, 29 Task Force  Brigade carried out clearance patrol yesterday.

He disclosed that the patrol team came in contact with Boko Haram terrorists near Abalam, South West of Alagarno forest.

According to Usman, the team engaged the terrorists who fled due to superior fire power.

“The troops pursued them and discovered that they left behind 7 men, 13 women and 27 children that were held hostage at Gemri village.

“The patrol team also recovered four Dane Guns, three Bows and five packs of arrows containing 114 arrows,” he said.

The Army spokesman also stated that the terrorist’s camp was destroyed while the rescued persons had been moved to Maiduguri Internally Displaced Persons Camp.

In another development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), as part of its renewed commitment to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency, is constructing new facilities and renovating existing ones on its bases across the country.

The Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Group Captain Ayodele, Famuyiwa, stated that the latest addition were at Kano and Port Harcourt Bases where new accommodation and sporting facilities were provided to carter for the general welfare and physical fitness needs of the personnel and their dependants.

Famuyiwa said that the new blocks of furnished residential accommodation were commissioned recently in Kano for student pilots, single and married officers, as well as Non-Commissioned Officers (Corporal and below).

In Port Harcourt, he said, a new fitness centre with modern sporting facilities was also commissioned recently to help the personnel keep fit for duty.

He said that Air vice Marshal (AVM) Mukhtar Muhammed (rtd), who commissioned the Kano projects, applauded the effort by the NAF leadership to enhance the welfare of personnel and their service to the nation.

 While noting that the NAF has continued to make giant strides even in the face of scarce resources, Muhammed also commended the Service for its spirited effort at combating insurgency in the Northeast and emerging militancy in the South-South.

Meanwhile, the DOPRI said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has stated that the current emphasis on massive infrastructural development in the NAF is geared towards promoting professionalism and service delivery.

He said that Abubakar while speaking during the recent projects commissioning ceremony in Kano,  disclosed that the current focus to reposition the NAF into a highly professional and disciplined force is hinged on training, equipment and welfare.

Famuyiwa stated CAS assured that the NAF under his administration will not relent on its effort to give the best to the personnel because they are the most important asset.