BOKO HARAM SEIZES ADAMAWA ACTING GOVERNOR’S HOMETOWN

Umaru Fintiri

Boko Haram insurgents early yesterday reportedly seized Kirchinga, hometown of Adamawa State Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri, hours before he took part in the PDP governorship primaries.

The primaries were on at press time.

Kirchinga is in Madagali local Government area of the state whose headquarters, Gulak was also seized.

Gulak is the hometown of another governorship aspirant, Mallam Ahmad Gulak and immediate past Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the President.

Seven lives were reportedly lost in the attacks.

The fate of Kirchinga could not be confirmed yesterday but the Secretary to the Adamawa State government, Prof. Liman Tukur, confirmed that Gulak, headquarters of Madagali Local Government Area was in the hands of the insurgents.

Other towns in the local government area allegedly overrun by Boko Haram are Duhu and Shuwa.

Sources said they were also closing in on Michika Local Government area from where another governorship aspirant, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa hails.

The SSG in his statement said the insurgents killed and displaced many people in Gulak during their attack.

He said: “It has come to the attention of the Adamawa State Government that insurgents are now in Gulak, the headquarters of Madagali Local Government Area and have killed and displaced scores of people.

“On behalf of the people and government of Adamawa,His Excellency deeply sympathises with the people of Gulak and other surrounding villages and towns whose areas have been overrun by insurgents.

“The concomitant effects of the insurgency like displacement of whole villages and towns create multitudes of internally displaced persons whose management and welfare, the government is left to bear.

He said Government would do as much as possible to assist the displaced persons.

The State Emergency Management Agency  has been  directed to hasten assistance to the displaced persons.

Sources in the seized towns said the insurgents   are “in control everywhere,” attacking security posts and buildings.

It was gathered that the insurgents told the people not to panic or run as they had nothing against the ordinary people.

“They assured us that they will not attack us. But that was not enough to stop people from fleeing,” one source said.

“The fear is that they might turn on us after the exit of soldiers and other security personnel.”

An eyewitness to the attack, Sabo Lukas, who escaped to the Adamawa state capital Yola, told Reuters the militants had gone from house to house in Gulak shooting, and he had seen bodies of victims. He could not give an estimate for those killed.

“As am talking to you, they are still there killing people,” Lukas said.

Tanko Wazumtu, an aide to Adamawa state Acting Governor said his own father was among those killed.

Gulak is about 50 km southwest of Gwoza, a border town in neighbouring Borno state seized by Boko Haram last month and where the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, proclaimed a “Muslim territory” in the northeast. Another town, Madagali, between Gwoza and Gulak, was attacked previously.

A native of the local government area, Dr Umar Duhu said the insurgents came  in many Toyota Hilux vans around 5:30pm and armed  with sophisticated weapons.

They began their operation by engaging security personnel at military checkpoints.

“As we speak, the insurgents are holding sway in the towns after hoisting their flags on the roads.

Palpable fear has enveloped   Michika town with residents fleeing to Mubi and Yola.

A resident of Michika, Mr. Emmanuel Yame Kwache, said by phone that people are afraid for their lives.

Mr. Kwache said: “We don’t know where to run to but we are praying to God to help us because the whole of Michika is now lonely and business activities have been affected drastically as most of the people have relocated to the mountains to hide.”