Residents of Ashaka village, the production town of Asaka Cement located in Gombe state north-east Nigeria say suspected terrorist group Boko Haram, who carried out an operation on Tuesday in the area, carted away eight Toyota Hilux vans loaded with dynamite.
Boko Haram on Tuesday launched an attack on border towns of Yobe and Gombe states of Nafada and Funakaye Local Government areas of Gombe state and Ngalda and Fika in Fika Local Government Area of Yobe state which claimed lives in Nafada and Fika area, residents said.
According to Ashaka residents, the insurgents came to the company and took over control of the town and after gathering the people and preached their ideologies to them assured them they will not hurt anyone.
“Yes, the group came here without killing anybody but they went away with eight Toyota Hilux belonging to Ashaka cement PLC loaded with dynamite taken from the production site of the company after preaching their ways to residents assembled in one place” A resident said.
A security source who pleaded anonymity told Channels Television on Wednesday that seven travellers along the Gombe-Potiskum road were killed on the highway in Fika town after the killing of a popular religious cleric and three of his students in Nafada at the Gombe/Yobe border.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gombe command, Mr. Fwaje Atajiri, who confirmed the raid of the area, said the unknown gunmen torched the Police Station, the Local Government and the PDP secretariats of Nafada Town but their efforts to enter Bajoga, the headquarters of Funakaye Local Government Area, was repelled by security forces.
He however said the security is not aware of any dynamites taken by the insurgents, but noted that the command has commenced investigation into the attack, promising to address the media on the situation.
The PPRO also confirmed that a cleric and three others were killed in Nafada while a police man was wounded during the raid and is being treated in an undisclosed hospital in the state.
“I can confirm to you of the attack on the two Local Government Areas of the state with casualty figure put at four while a police man was injured during the attack and is undergoing treatment. Our team of investigators have commenced inquiry on the attack and I can assure you the media will be adequately briefed as things unfold” the PPRO said.
Ashaka is located in Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe State, 120 KM to Gombe, the state capital, while Nafada is 35KM away from Ashaka and bordering Yobe state to the north of Gombe state.
Tuesday’s raid in Ashaka by the insurgents was the second, as the dreaded sect members had carried out an operation in Ashaka village with some financial institutions affected in 2012.
Fierce fighting has been going on in Ashaka town in Gombe state, with the Army and the Nigerian Airforce battling to repel the Boko Haram insurgents who reportedly took over Ashaka town.
Although there have been fears that the terrorists may stretch into neighbouring towns, the military has given the assurance that no inch of the nation’s territory will be ceded to the insurgents.
On Sunday the terrorists also attacked Mubi, in Adamawa state.
