Gunmen, believed to be Boko Haram terrorists, donning military attire, launched a violent assault on Gatamarwa and Tsiha, adjacent to the Shikarkir settlements in Borno State’s Chibok local government area.
The onslaught resulted in the tragic deaths of 11 individuals, with one woman abducted, as reported by local sources on Tuesday. The perpetrators, without encountering resistance, plundered food supplies and livestock.
This incident unfolds just a fortnight following a similar assault in Chibok, where two fatalities occurred, coupled with widespread house burnings and lootings.
Furthermore, during the Yuletide festivities, the vital 33KVA power lines connecting Yobe and Borno states to the national electricity grid were maliciously destroyed near the Auno-Maiduguri and Gujba routes, suspected to be the work of the same terrorist group.
The invaders targeted Gatamarwa around 5 p.m. on January 1, 2024. Mallam Wakil Aliyu, a resident who spoke to our correspondent, recounted the ordeal as,
“Heavily armed with AK47 rifles and a mix of vehicles and motorcycles, who first opened fire on some people who were returning from mourning in Gatamarwa, before later attacking another Tsiha community near Shikarkir and killing three people with the abduction of a young lady.”
Another community source said, “They came in large numbers, with sophisticated weapons, burning houses, and carting away foodstuffs.
‘I cannot tell you the exact number of people they have killed, but I can confirm to you that many people were reportedly killed.”
Despite attempts, the Police Public Relations Officer for Borno Command, ASP Nahum Daso Kenneth, remained unreachable for comment at the time of press.
| Vanguard
