Boko Haram strikes, kills 18 in Adamawa

Like thunder and unexpected, Boko Haram terrorists on Thursday night stricked and killed 18 women and wounded several others in Kuda-Kaya village in Madagali Local Council of Adamawa State during the burial ceremony of a community leader.

The village is about three kilometres from Gulak, capital of Madagali Local Council, which is on the fringes of Sambisa forest.

An eye witness account said that the insurgents, who stormed the village around 10:00 p.m., took the mourners unawares, killing mostly elderly women who could not run for their lives.

The District Head of Gulak, Mr. Bello Ichadi, told The Guardian that the attackers came in hundreds and opened fire on the mourners, noting that men were able to escape with gun-shot wounds.

Member representing Madagali constituency in Adamawa State House of Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Tsamdu, lamented the incident but said he has not confirmed the number of casualties.

“I was called today in the morning from my hometown that there was an attack on Thursday night, but I am yet to get the details on how it happened and the real number of people killed during the attack. It is disheartening to see this kind of attack particularly now that the military is winning the battle against insurgency in the country,” Tsamdu stated.

Another eyewitness, who identified himself as Moses Kwagh, however said that after the attack, he joined other people to enter the house where the attack took place and counted 18 dead bodies of women, stressing that many others were still missing.

“The attack lasted for about an hour. We the men and the younger women ran for safety. Three hours after the attack, we, the men, mobilised ourselves and entered the house. We counted 18 dead bodies of elderly women. But some women are still missing. Everybody has left the village; only hunters are in the place now,” he said.

Kwagh added: “When we said that Boko Haram is still in this place, some people sat in Abuja and claimed that there is no more Boko Haram. But see what has happened. We cannot go to our farms for the fear that Boko Haram might kill us.”

Attempts to get the military command in Mubi to comment on the attack did not yield any positive result, as the phone number of the commander was not reachable.

Spokesman of Adamawa State Police Command, Uthman Abubakar, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who confirmed the incident, said the command was yet to get the total number of casualties.

-Emmanuel Ikechukwu