Boko Haram invades JTF commander’s home as scores die in fresh Borno attack

MAIDUGURI — Gunmen suspected to be members of deadly Boko Haram terrorists, yesterday, evening invaded the residence of the Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF), Niger Delta, Major General Tukur Buratai at his country home, Buratai District in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, killing two persons including a security personnel on guard suspected to be a soldier, and injured others.

Although, according to a locale of Buratai, Musa Abubakar said, the other person killed was a Chadian nationale (name withheld) who was doing construction work at one of the houses owned by the Army General, before they set ablaze another family house where the father of General Buratai, Alhaji Yusuf Buratai resided.

Abubakar stated that the gunmen also set ablaze a primary school in Buratai before they fled into the bush, but did not touch nor injure other neighbouring residents.

This is even as another group of terrorists invaded Bama Council Area of the state,Tuesday evening, which caused heavy exchange of gunfire between them and the security operatives, a situation that led to the killing of several people and burning of houses, shops and vehicles on the main road and other streets in the town.

The Bama incident is coming barely few hours when Governor Kashim Shettima with his convoy passed through the town at about 8p.m., Tuesday from his way to Maiduguri where he had gone to Madagali, the headquarters of Gulak Local Government Area of Adamawa State to sympathise with the victims of Izghe who are now taking refuge at the council. The attacks claimed over 150 lives, weekend.

Some residents of Bama told our correspondent that the gunmen invaded the town at about 4a.m., Wednesday with Hilux vehicles, Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, petrol bombs and started shooting sporadically before the security operatives engaged them in a shoot-out.

The gunmen, according to a source, “equally succeeded in torching some portions of a house belonging to one of the highly placed traditional rulers (name withheld) in the town.”

According to an eye-witness, Baba Bulama, the gunmen came in various vehicles with IEDs, and petrol-bombs at the dawn prayers; and started shooting sporadically at houses, while chanting, ‘God is great’ in Arabic language for over six hours, before the soldiers rushed to the scene.

He said the insurgents, numbering about 150 continued to attack and shoot at any houses right from the Shehu’s palace down to the motor-park in which no less than 15 vehicles were set ablaze, including the market, adjacent to the park.