Another villager told Sahararareporters that the panic had yet to abate, as a large number of frightened people from the affected local governments were still trooping into Yola, the state capital, for safety. “Even in the neighbouring Mubi town, people are on the run, reminiscent of 2014 experience, around the election period,” he said.
Thousands of villagers in Adamawa State who fled for their lives due to Monday’s Boko Haram attacks are still trooping into Yola, capital of the state, after spending last night in the bush.
Boko Haram attacked communities in Madagali, Gulak, Shuwa, Michika and Baza on Monday evening, but villagers had started fleeing hours earlier when local sources sighted Boko Haram fighters mobilising around Kirchinga Village, near Shuwa town in Madagali Local Government Area.
According to the Army, which mobilised troops of the 28 battalion to repel the attack, two people were reported killed while many houses were torched.
Mohammed Bello, a Brigadier General, told SaharaReporters that peace had returned to the area. "Troops of the 28 battalion have repelled the terrorists, and I can confirm that normalcy has returned in the area,” he said.
However, the displaced villagers are still apprehensive.
A Michika resident who slept in the bush told SaharaReporters that the whole town was deserted last night.
“We all slept in the bush,” she said. "But thank God we learnt early this morning that soldiers have repelled the Boko Haram from Shuwa, that is why we came back. I know of no death recorded in Michika, however many people were wounded in the pandemonium.”
Another villager told Sahararareporters that the panic had yet to abate, as a large number of frightened people from the affected local governments were still trooping into Yola, the state capital, for safety.
“Even in the neighbouring Mubi town, people are on the run, reminiscent of 2014 experience, around the election period,” he said.
SaharaReporters understands the fleeing of residents has sparked concerns about the possibility of successful elections in the two local governments, and about citizen involvement in voting proper should elections hold there.