Boko Haram Distributes Letter To Yobe Residents Before Attack, Says They Are Fighting Jihad War With Military
Before attacking Geidam town in Yobe State on Friday, Boko Haram terrorists distributed letters to residents informing them that they had arrived to wage a Jihad war with the Nigerian Army.
The terrorists threatened that anyone who stopped them from carrying out Jihad or collaborated with the Nigerian Army would be killed in notices distributed across town and written in Hausa.
“We are fighting Jihad war; we are just going to target the military, their collaborators, and anyone who prevents us from carrying out our Jihad,” reads the Boko Haram notice obtained by SaharaReporters from a resident.
“Copies of the Hausa-written letter were circulated to residents of Geidam late Friday afternoon before the attacks,” a source said.
The Boko Haram sect attacked Geidam city, the headquarters of Geidam Local Government Area in Yobe State, on Friday, according to SaharaReporters.
Usman Baba Alkali, the acting Inspector General of Police, is from Geidam. The town is about 200 kilometers from Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State and one of Nigeria’s frontier towns with the Niger Republic.
At about 6 p.m., the insurgents attacked the town with several gun trucks, according to reports.
To validate their Jihad against the Nigerian military, the insurgents attacked the 27 Task Force Brigade’s special forces base in Ngomari in Buni Yadi and Kumuya in the Buni Gari district of Yobe State last week Friday, killing three soldiers and leaving about 171 others missing in action.
The insurgents destroyed heavy military vehicles, according to SaharaReporters, who posted photos of gun trucks razed by the insurgents.
“On Friday morning, terrorists targeted us. They invaded and burned down the military base. Three soldiers were killed, one was wounded, and 171 were reported missing. The base is abandoned, but we’ve requested reinforcements, according to a military source who spoke to SaharaReporters.
“One Camel MRAP was burnt, one 105MMPH Artillery gun burnt, one Conqueror and one T72 tank were also burnt. The terrorists have set fire to the camp, according to another source.
The terrorists targeted the military base with the help of local informants and sympathizers, according to SaharaReporters.
The terrorists used heavy guns to destroy military equipment and patrolled the city to prevent reinforcements from arriving.
As reinforcements from Nigerian troops arrived at the base, the insurgents retreated, according to reports.
Following the assault, Nigerian troops were forced to restrict movement along the Damaturu-Damboa-Biu Road.
