- Raids Major cities in Northeast Nigeria.
Boko Haram fighters invaded two towns in northeast Nigeria’s Adamawa state after hunters and civilian vigilantes reportedly ousted them from a key town, residents told reporters. The group is said to have raided Hong and Gombi, some 100 kilometres from the state capital, Yola, after they were pushed out of the commercial hub of Mubi, which they seized two weeks ago.
Boko Haram is believed to have captured more than two dozen towns in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states in recent months, as part of its quest to establish a hard-line administration in the region. But despite apparently losing control of Mubi, which the Islamists renamed Madinatul Islam or “City of Islam” in Arabic, the invasion of Hong and Gombi saw them move closer to Yola.
Thousands of residents have been taking refuge in the city from the violence. The vigilantes had reportedly reclaimed the town of Maiha on Wednesday after a fierce battle in which scores of the insurgents were said to have been killed, although there has been no official confirmation of this.
In Gombi, resident Haruna Awwalu said Boko Haram were patrolling the streets, firing heavy weaponry, while another local, Rabi Tanimu, said people were cowering indoors and many had to run to the bushes to ensure their safety. In Hong, 20 kilometres away, the police station was also burnt and the militants raised their black flag outside the home of a retired military general.
Extracted and modified from Yahoo News.
