Boko Haram Invades Askira Town, Borno State

The Boko Haram sect has attacked another town, Askira in Borno State, some fleeing residents of the town told journalists  in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

According to one of the residents of the town, Yusuf Mohammed, who fled to Maiduguri, the insurgents attacked the town in a convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles at 3.35pm on Monday.

He said the hoodlums, who were armed with Improvised Explosive Devices and petrol-bombs, torched several public buildings, including a secondary school, Divisional Police Station and telecom masts.

Mohammed, who arrived Maiduguri on Tuesday morning in a pickup van with some other displaced persons, said, “As we were about to depart the motor park yesterday (Monday) afternoon, we saw some insurgents chanting ‘God is great’ in Arabic.

“They moved to burn down a school in the town to ashes. They did not stop there, they proceeded to the police station and a health centre and threw IEDs at the buildings.”

The residents of the town, who were shocked, according to him, “fled from the streets and market, running to safety.”

Inuwa said on the vehicles of the terrorists were mounted Rapid Propelled Grenades.

He explained that he had to flee along with six passengers in the taxi to Maiduguri through Mbalala and Chibok road.

On the number of casualties, he said, “I cannot give you casualties on civilians and security personnel, but we saw some bodies of people on the road, while we were fleeing towards Mbalala.”

Askira is predominantly a farming community and a border town between Borno and Adamawa states.

Source:
Punch Newspaper