Suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Friday attacked Geidam, the headquarters of Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State and hometown of the acting Inspector-General of the Police, Baba Alkali.
Premium Times’s correspondent could hear sounds of heavy gunfire as he spoke on the phone with a source in the town on the development.
“I cannot talk now, I am sure you are hearing the sound of gunshots. Let’s talk when the situation is calm,” the frightened resident of the town said.
The last time the insurgents attacked Geidam was on February 9, barely 24 hours after the new Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, visited troops after his appointment.
Premium Times reported that three customs officers were abducted by the insurgents during that attack.
A source revealed that a Nigerian Air Force jet had been deployed to the town to dislodge the attackers.
Full details of the attack are still sketchy as people are indoors for their safety.
The police spokesperson in the state, Dungus Abdulkarim, said ”he needed to get across to his people on ground in Geidam” before responding to press inquiries.
Foiled
However, PRNigeria, an online publication that circulates security information, reported that the attack has been foiled by army troops assisted by fighter helicopters from the Nigerian Airforce ( NAF).
It said Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter and attack jets were swiftly scrambled to repel the terrorists.
According to a military intelligence officer who spoke with PRNigeria, over a dozen insurgents were killed by the aggressive bombardments of the military aircraft.
The source added that though the ground troops pursued some terrorists who fled after the attack was foiled, he could not give the exact figure of the casualty suffered by the Boko Haram.
PREMIUM TIMES
