Boko Haram militants kill 18 mourners in Adamawa – Police

Boko Haram insurgents launched a night attack in Kuda-Kaya
village in Madagali local government of Adamawa State, on
Thursday, killing 18 people and injuring 10 others at a funeral
service, the police said.
Witnesses said the rampaging insurgents stormed the village
which is about 3km from Gulak, capital of Madagali local
government on the fringes of the dreaded Sambisa forest,
around 10 pm during a wake for a deceased community
member.
The source said locals were taken unawares as they did not
expect such attacks that the deadly Boko Haram had long been
pushed out of the area.
“They stormed our village on motorbikes and immediately
opened fire on the people observing the wake,” the source said.
“As at the last count, 18 people were killed while about 10
others were injured and were rushed to a health facility in
Gulak.”
The police spokesperson for Adamawa State, Othman Abubakar,
a deputy superintendent of police, said 18 people had so far
been confirmed dead, but said the total figure was uncertain,
implying the toll could rise.
The member representing Michika/Madagali federal
constituency in the House of Representatives, Adamu Kamale,
said “many members of the community were feared killed”.
“‘There was pandemonium during which many people
scampered for their lives,” he said.
One witness, who identified himself as Moses, told PREMIUM
TIMES that the attack lasted for about an hour, and said those
killed were mainly elderly women.
“We the men and the younger women ran for safety, when we
came back we saw our mothers dead,” he said.
“It disheartening to see this kind of attack particularly now the
military is winning the battle against insurgency in the country
he added,” said Emmanuel Tsamudu, member representing
Madagali constituency in the state House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, the police spokesperson said a wanted Boko Haram
commander in Gombi local government of the state had been
arrested.
The suspected commander was trailed after being sighted at a
security checkpoint.
The suspect was arrested at a bank after curiously asking
another customer to help him make withdrawal from an ATM in
what police believed was an attempt to avoid bank security
cameras.
Mr. Abubakar said the suspect was being interrogated at the
command’s CID.
He said the suspect was one of the terrorists on the wanted list
of hardened terrorist released by military authorities.