Boko Haram attacks Gamboru Ngala, kills 4 civilians

According to reports from Vanguard, at least four civilians were killed while eight others were seriously injured when some suspected members of Boko Haram sect invaded Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area of Borno state in the early hours of yesterday.

Gamboru Ngala is a border town with Cameroun Republic, about 135 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital, which had witnessed series of bombings and killings in recent past.

It was gathered that the gunmen, numbering about 50, came on motorcycles armed with sophisticated weapons and attacked Flatari ward of the council at about 2am yesterday. The sect members ordered residents to come out from their houses pretending to be members of the youth vigilante before they opened fire on them killing four residents and injuring eight others.

A source said, the gunmen also set ablaze some houses in Flatari and fled.

He explained that the gunmen were on revenge mission following the recent arrest of one of their members last week by youth vigilantes (civilian JTF) whom they later handed over to the military Joint Task Force before he was killed.

According to the source, the military used to patrol the area but with the formation of youth vigilante, the JTF were no longer patrolling the area, as they had confidence in the vigilante in protecting their area.

A resident who on condition of anonymity appealed to the JTF to come to their aid and resume patrol of the area as the unarmed vigilante youths could not protect the area alone considering the sophisticated weapons used by the terrorists.

Meanwhile, there were indications in Abuja, yesterday, that following the death of Boko Haram leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau, as a result of gunshot wounds he sustained in an encounter with Special Forces when they carried out ground and air assault at the vast Sambisa Forest in Borno State, remnants of Boko Haram sect members were planning a revenge attack.

The sect members are said to have vowed that the killing of their leader and others in the decision making council will be avenged with a deadly attack that will be commensurate with the killing of their leaders including Momodu Bama, the 2nd in command to Shekau.