The Boko Haram terrorists in gun trucks attacked Geidam Friday forcing residents to flee for safety as they break their Ramadan fast in Yobe. The insurgents in 10 gun trucks torched telecom masts of Airtel and MTN, cutting off people to communicate on the attack of border town with Niger. Confirming the incident Saturday in Damaturu, the Police Command Spokesman, Dungus Abdulkarim disclosed: “Leaflets written in Arabic and Hausa were distributed to residents of Geidam Thursday, before the terrorists struck during breaking of fast.” He said that the insurgents were advocating for the establishment of a Caliphate in Geidam Township. The border town was attacked severally in this year and 2019, with the torching of military and police posts in the last five years. According to Dungus; “The terrorists first struck on Friday evening but they took cover following air strikes from the military,” he said. Bukar Modu, a resident, told The Guardian that after the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jet hovered around the town before the terrorists returned into the community by 8pm. “They wreaked havoc on the town this morning (Saturday),” he said, adding that buildings were torched, before looting food items from shops and warehouses of Geidam. While lamenting incessant attacks, he said: “We are more frightened this time around, because we don’t know their mission. “We are cut off from both MTN and Airtel services, as the telecom masts were torched last night.” “They came through the border with Niger in 15 gun trucks,” noting that the military and security agencies need to re-strategize to deal with the terrorists that had been attacking border communities in Yobe and Borno states The military also yesterday claimed that the terrorists were repelled. Modu however said that the insurgents were still hiding, as the gun battle continued to rage in the early hours of Saturday. “They have taken over the Hausari Primary school as their temporary operational base,” he said. Yakubu Isa, another resident also corroborated Modu’s report of attack. He said that several insurgents converged in Hausari ward, as one of their operational vehicles broke down. Continuing, he added: “It is possible that they have taken over the primary school for their operational base,” lamenting that the terrorists could have retreated and moved to Fulatari ward of Geidam. He said that a dozen terrorists had been killed including some civilians that could have been caught in the crossfire. Besides, he said: “A military artillery was fired at the insurgents and hit a residential building in Samanaka ward, causing an unspecified number of casualties. “The artillery was fired into the ward place, as the insurgents came and started engaging the military. I am sure some of them were also killed.”
