Soldier Shot Trying to Repel Attack on Gombe Community

Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

Hostilities may have returned in remote communities bordering Gombe and Adamawa States in Northeast Nigeria following a fresh outbreak of violence in Nyuwar, Gombe State.

Tension had continued to mount from Tuesday afternoon following the shooting of a soldier while trying to repel an attack on Nyuwar community by neighbouring Waja community, THISDAY has gathered.

An eyewitness in Nyuwar confirmed to newsmen in Gombe, through a phone call that the soldier was injured while trying to repel attacks on Nyuwar Community by neighbouring Waja community which carried out similar attack on Nyuwar and Jessu in April last year.

It was also gathered that even when the soldier was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment, the attack on the community continued unabated as the combine team of security operatives stationed in the community was reportedly outnumbered by the attackers.

Several houses were said to have been touched while women, children and the aged were forced to escape to neighbouring communities for refuge.

In Jessu, a neighbouring community to Nyuwar, panicking residents were reported to be hurriedly trooping out of the town for safety.

Nyuwar and Jessu, the two Lunguda communities were reportedly attacked in April last year by the Wajas forcing many residents to relocate to neighbouring communities for safety.

Efforts by our correspondent to get police reaction on the latest incident proved abortive as calls made to the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mary Obed Malum (SP), were not answered nor returned afterwards.

As at the time of filing this report, the State Commissioner for Information Julius Ishaya Lapes told our correspondent that he was still making consultations to get the true situation. He promised to get in touch as soon as he got details on the matter.