Horror in Adamawa: Terrorist Ambush Claims Lives of Police Operative, Seven Others
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked the Gaya-Dlang community in Adamawa State, killing civilians and a police officer, with conflicting casualty reports from local authorities. The assault involved looting, burning houses, and brief abductions, prompting widespread fear among farmers who are now abandoning their lands due to persistent insecurity.Suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched a devastating attack on the Gaya-Dlang community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, resulting in multiple fatalities and widespread destruction. The insurgents, believed to be remnants of fleeing Boko Haram groups, stormed the community on their motorcycles shortly after 5 pm on Monday. During the violent assault, they shot indiscriminately, raided numerous provision shops, carting away foodstuffs and non-food items, and set fire to many houses.
The Chairman of Hong LGA, Aliyu Saad Yerima, confirmed the severity of the incident, reporting eight casualties: seven civilians and one police officer. He further explained that many residents sustained various degrees of injuries while desperately trying to escape the chaos. The corpse of the deceased police officer has since been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre in Hong.
In contrast to the Chairman's account, the spokesman of the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, provided information based on the report from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Hong LGA, stating that four civilians and one police officer were murdered in the attack. Nguroje also mentioned that a search team dispatched to the area had returned to base, with the Command promising to inform the public about their findings.
Adding to the terror, the insurgents abducted four middle-aged women while leaving the town. However, all four abducted women remarkably managed to escape from their captors and have safely returned home, as confirmed by Chairman Yerima.
The immediate aftermath of the attack saw a tense situation, which has since calmed with the presence of military personnel in the area. Nevertheless, the frequent assaults by terrorists in Gaya and Yadul districts have instilled deep fear among the local population, particularly the peasant farmers who constitute a significant portion of the workforce. Chairman Yerima expressed concern that approximately 80% of these farmers have abandoned their farms due to fear. He noted a disturbing change, where unlike previous rainy seasons, bandits are now prevalent in the area, making farming activities impossible.
This incident marks another in a series of attacks in the region; it occurred less than a month after a similar attack in Zah community, located in Yadul District of Hong LGA, which claimed the lives of four people, including a Forest Guard official.