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, revealed 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.

Source: Iro Dan Fulani and Austin Ajayi

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