Boko Haram: Terrorists attack Yobe community, burns, school, health centre

Suspected members of Boko Haram have attacked Katarko community in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State with heavy gunshots causing residents to flee to safety, Channels Television reports.

The insurgents also burnt down a primary school and a healthcare centre located in the community.

A resident, Fantami Kura said the gunmen stormed the community at about 5:30 am when they were going to the mosque for prayers.

“We came out as usual around 5.30 am for prayers, we sighted the gunmen, we immediately alerted our people and ran into bush for safety.

“They proceeded straight to the military formation in Katarko shooting sporadically and later set the base on fire,” he said.

The number of casualties is still unknown at the time of this report, however efforts to contact the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Sector 2 Operation Lafiya Dole in Damaturu, Lieutenant Kennedy Anyanwu proved abortive.

Katarko community which is 18 kilometres south of Damaturu, the state capital, has been under attack over 10 times.

Since December, more than three schools in different states have been attacked and over 600 students have been kidnapped.

From Katsina through Niger to Zamfara states, bandits have struck schools, forcing some state governments in the north to shut down boarding schools.
The Nigerian government has in reaction vowed to tackle the menace, insisting it will not allow bandits to shut down the education sector, but the criminals have continued their activities with attacks on schools in Kaduna.

On Monday, bandits attacked another school in the Rema area of Kaduna State, north-west Nigeria.

During the attack, some pupils and teachers were feared to be abducted.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed this in a statement on Monday.

He noted that the primary school attacked by the bandits is located at the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.

However, in a later development, Aruwan while giving an update on the incident said three teachers were abducted and no pupil was kidnapped or declared missing after a headcount was conducted.