—Fear grips residents as hovercraft deposits bombs
By Jibrin Bab Ndace, Abuja, and Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz, Yola
In its continued rampage through Boko Haram strongholds in the North-east, Nigerian troops on Sunday night invaded Kukawa Geri and Gujba in Yobe state, determined to flush out the insurgents from their remaining hideouts.
In a tweet yesterday, the Defence Headquarters said: “Troops are dominating operations in Kukawa, Geri, Gujba in Yobe to rid the terrorists on Sunday.
“The troops have maintained the winning ways discovered since Defence Headquarters asked for a six-week postponement of elections for the military to be able to make every part of the country, especially the north-east, safe and conducive for conduct of the general elections.
“Since then, most of the local governments and communities previously occupied by terrorists in most of the affected states have been liberated.”
Our correspondent learnt that more than 30 communities have so far been liberated from terrorists.
Troops had recently routed insurgebnts from Bara, the headquarters of Gulani local government area of Yobe state, and Gulag, the headquarters of Madagali local government area of Adamawa state.
Other locations also cleared in the course of the operation included Shikah, Fikayel, Tetebah, Buza, Kamla and Bumsa.
With the massive military operation, the troops have also recovered Monguno, Marte, Gamboru Ngala, Dikwa and Baga, among other big towns and communities.
Other localities where the troops have flushed out the militants in the operation preceding the entry to Baga included Gajigana, Ngaze, Ngenzai, Marte Junction, Yoyo, Kekeno, Kukawa, Cross Kauwa, Kangarwa, Amirari, Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Zuntur, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul.
Having successfully liberated most of the towns, the troops’ attention has now been focused on consolidation of the security of the areas to pave way for the return of citizens to their normal life and for peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections.
Meanwhile, there was pandemonium and apprehension in Gombi town in the northern part of Adamawa state when residents sighted a hovercraft in military colours depositing bombs in nearby bushes, security and local sources confirmed.
This came barely two weeks after anti-Boko Haram flyers were dropped by military helicopters in about five local government areas of the state, which led to uneasy calm in the area.
Residents became suspicious of the hovercraft as it kept encircling the town for a very long time, which made them to become alert and monitor it with keen attention.
“We began to run for our lives, for fear of uncertainty. Some have started fleeing the town,” said Habu Yahaya, a resident.
“After a long time encircling the town, the hovercraft finally deposited weapons suspected to be bombs behind the Gombi hills.”
Already, local hunters and Civilian JTF have mounted surveillance on the area following suspicion that the weapons might have been deposited for ulterior motives.
Another resident, Michael David, said the mounting tension in the area may not be unconnected with attacks on neighbouring villages by Boko Haram insurgents as Nigerian troops intensified their onslaught against them.
Blueprint gathered that local hunters in the early hours of yesterday shot and killed a suspected suicide bomber who was trying to launch an attack on a mosque at Tashar Marghi area of the town.
A local hunter who simply identified himself as Bello said in a telephone interview: “In the early hours of Monday, during the dawn prayers, Subh, a suicide bomber carrying two explosives was killed.
“The development has reignited tension in the area following the suspected bombs deposited behind the Walawa hills by a military hovercraft.”
When contacted, the state Public Relations Officer, DSP Othman Abubakar, said the bombs had expired and the authorities dropped them there, urging residents to go about their businesses “because the expired bombs will not cause any harm.”
“Yes, military authorities have confirmed to us that the bombs have expired, so people should not be scared,” he said.
On the killing of the suspected bomber, Othman said the DPO of the area had confirmed the development to him.