Fresh attack in Yobe State capital: Many feared dead

Multiple explosions suspected to be Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) has rocked Damaturu, the Yobe State capital while sporadic gunshots engulfed the city of troubled Maiduguri on Monday morning living many residents trapped in their houses for fear of their lives.

Damaturu is 135 km West of Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

This is even as another attack at Lassa town of Askira/Uba local government area of Borno state over the week end left 11 residents dead with Churches including the biggest EYN church and many houses burnt down by the Boko Haram sect.

Sources also said that during the Lassa attacks, youth vigilante of the area confronted the sect this led to the killing of 41 Boko Haram members and capture of 17.

The fresh morning attack of Today (Monday) which started at about 6am in Damaturu by terrorists were targeted at police and military formations as well as selected houses, a situation that sources said left many people dead.

Reliable source told Vanguard Correspondent that “the Police Mobile Base in Damaturu was one of the security formations that came under attack by insurgents”.

“As I am talking to you now, we are in serious confusion now, gunshots and explosions everywhere especially from the southern part of the city and people are fleeing,” said an embattled resident, Mallam Usmanu Iliya.

Another resident who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons said he was woken up by the gunshots and blast which started at about 6am, and he suspects Boko Haram may be attacking.

Another resident who could barely speak as he was panting simply said, “We are running for our lives…we are under attack… We don’t know where to hide, the shooting is all over…”

Although, as at press time, the attacks and confrontations by security operatives in Damaturu is still continuing, the actual casualty figure is yet to be ascertained.

Likewise, the sporadic gunshots that woke the residents of Maiduguri according to military sources “were not from Boko Haram sect, but a routine test of arms and ammunition by security operatives in the state”. Even though, the development puts more fear on the minds of parents send their children to schools, while those who normally go out for work early in the morning could not do so.

Meanwhile, residents of Lassa over the week end reportedly resisted the attack on its community by engaging the attackers with locally made guns, bows and arrows.

Lassa is predominantly a Christian community in Askira Uba council area of Borno state which is under control of Boko Haram sect.

Ali Mamza, a resident of Lassa town and member of the local vigilante group told reporters, “If we flee today, tomorrow we will continue to flee and these murderers would continue to kill. If we had fled they would have killed many people. I think our decision to fight yielded as it is better that few people were killed than for hundred to be killed. We will continue to encourage ourselves, because they would keep coming, we cannot run any longer.” He said.