Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists in gun trucks have attacked Dapchi town; forcing many residents to flee for safety into homes and nearby bushes in Yobe state. Some of the residents had alerted the military, before the insurgents targeted the Dapchi military post along Gashua road. Dapchi was attacked on February 19, 2018 by insurgents with the abduction 110 school girls at Government Girls Science and Technical College, before they were released last year with death of five girls. Leah Sharibu, is however; in the captivity of Boko Haram, as she refused to convert from Islam to Christianity.
Confirming the attack Thursday in Damaturu, an anonymous soldier attached to Dapchi military post said that; “The terrorists have torched many houses here in this town. “Many people also fled for safety into nearby bushes, shrubs and the Kumadugu-Yobe River across the road for cover. He said that some residents also fled to nearby village of Jumbam, 15 kilometres south of Dapchi, and the council headquarters of Bursari Local Government Area. The soldier; in a telephone interview also told The Guardian that the terrorists came in dozens of gun trucks patrolling the town for several hours. Audu Musa, a resident also said that mobile telephone lines have been disrupted, as the telecom masts along Damaturu-Gashua road were also destroyed by the terrorists.
He said that the communication disruption was to prevent communities in the Damaturu/Gashua axis from alerting troops and other security agencies. According to him, mobile lines to Dapchi have been unreachable since reports of Boko Haram fighters attacked the town. On how Dapchi was attacked, the soldier said: “In the last few months now, adjourning villages of Dapchi had been alerting military and other security agencies about the movement of Boko Haram fighters. “They have been complaining about the movement of the terrorists who they said go about sometimes in the evening or early in the morning.” Commuters along the road in north part of Yobe state, had to abandon the 100-kilometre Dapchi/Damaturu road over incessant attacks and killings. The commuters; according to him, ply the Gashua/Jakusko/Potiskum road before crisscrossing six council areas to reach Damaturu, the state capital.
