No fewer than six people have been killed and houses razed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in a community near Chibok town in Borno State.
The attack was reported to have been carried at about 5pm on the eve of Christmas.
The insurgents were said to have stormed the village in a bid to raid Piyemi, a community 10 kilometres from Chibok town in the southern part of the state.
It was learnt that the residents were forced to flee the town into the mountainous areas as the invading terrorists looted food items and burnt houses amidst sporadic shootings.
Fintiri, Ndume condemn attacks
Meanwhile, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has expressed worry over an attack on Garkida town in the Gombi Local Government Area of the state by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on the eve of Christmas.
Fintiri, in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Mr Humwashi Wonosikou, on Friday in Yola, said the attack caused the death of two civilians, including a five-year-old, the New Agency of Nigeria reported on Friday
While also condemning the attack, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, commiserated with the families of the deceased and also urged the military to be proactive rather than reacting after the deeds had been done.
Read Also: Boko Haram kidnaps 30 travellers on Borno/Yobe highway
Ndume also sympathised with the religious leaders whose churches were destroyed during the incident and urged them to continue to pray for lasting peace in the country.
He said, “It is highly unfortunate that the insurgents struck again on Christmas Eve and killed five people in Pemi.”
Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Air Force would secure the nation, saying its personnel would neither relent nor rest on their laurels until the security of lives and property of Nigerians was guaranteed.
10 die in Kwara accident
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kwara State Command, on Friday confirmed that at least 10 persons lost their lives in a multiple road accident that occurred along Idofian–Ilorin Road.
The Sector Commander, Jonathan Owoade, told our correspondent in Ilorin on Friday that the fatal crash was as a result of Speed Limit Violation and Wrong Overtaking.
Owoade said the crash, which occurred at the Unilorin Sugar Research Institute, involved a commercial Nissan Vanette bus and a Honda Accord. He pointed out that 27 persons were involved in the accident.
He added, “It is another sad incident on the Idofian–Ilorin Road axis; 27 persons were involved, sadly 10 persons lost their lives, nine of which were burnt beyond recognition, while 16 persons sustained various degrees of injuries and one other person was rescued unhurt.”
The sector commander said the injured persons were taken to the hospital by the corps’ response team from the FRSC, police and NSCDC, while the corpses had been taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.
He urged motorists to drive carefully and ensure that their vehicles are in good condition.
Abubakar gave this promise on Christmas Day in Maiduguri while hosting the troops of the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole to a luncheon at the NAF Base in Maiduguri.
In a related development, the Defence Headquarters said the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke foiled an attack on passengers traveling from Bayelsa State to Jos, Plateau State, on the Markudi-Lafiya Road on Thursday.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General. John Enenche, in a statement on Friday, said the operation was to ensure a peaceful Yuletide season.
Enenche said that the criminals mounted an illegal check-point on the road where they stopped the commercial vehicles to rob the commuters, NAN reported on friday.
He stated that the troops intervened promptly with superior firepower and forced the criminals to flee in disarray.
He said that troops thereafter provided armed escort for the commuters from the scene to Lafiya to enable them to proceed on their journey.
Enenche further said that troops deployed at Zaki Biam and Ukum killed two suspected bandits who attacked Dyom village in Borokiyo Council Ward of the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue.
He said that the troops followed the bandits in a pursuit after a distress call from the community on their activities, killing two while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
He added that during the encounter, troops recovered some arms and ammunition and a motorcycle.
“The military high command commends the troops for their efforts and further encourages them to remain committed to the course. Troops continue to maintain routine and confidence building patrols in the zone,” Enenche said.
The coordinator also said two suspected bandits voluntarily surrendered to the troops of Hadarin Daji at Magami area of Zamfara on Thursday.
He said the surrendered suspects further took troops to a bush where they had buried some of their weapons and submitted the weapons.
Enenche also announced that troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, 45 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one cutlass and one knife.
He said the troops killed one suspected bandit in a clearance operation on bandits’ hideouts at Pauwa/Zango rocks and environs on December 23, adding that their hideouts had been cleared and demolished.
He also said two bandits were arrested, in the course of the operation, and handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency for further action.
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