Hundreds of Boko Haram Islamists on Saturday invaded the restive northeast Nigerian city of Gombe, firing heavy guns and throwing leaflets calling on residents to boycott the forthcoming general elections, locals told AFP.
“The Boko Haram gunmen are now at the Jeka-da-Fari roundabout in the centre of the city, firing indiscriminately and throwing pamphlets calling on people not to participate in the elections,” resident Ali Dahiru said.
Other witnesses said the extremists stormed the city around 9:00 am (0800 GMT) and advanced without any resistance from the security forces.
A Nigerian fighter jet encircled the city but made no attempt to attack the insurgents, said witness Kabiru Na-Gwandu.
He said the residents had been warned to evacuate Gombe, which has been attacked by the insurgents previously.
“I received calls from friends in Kwadam, which is five kilometres away, warning me to leave because Boko Haram were on their way,” said Na-Gwandu, who lives near the military base in the city.
“I evacuated my house along with my family before they arrived the city and I’m happy that I did because from information I’m receiving they have taken over the military barracks,” he said.
The Boko Haram fighters appealed to residents to boycott the elections which had originally been planned to take place on Saturday before they were postponed until March 28.
Gombe has been repeatedly hit by suicide attacks and other bombings blamed on the Islamists in the six-year insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast.
Two weeks ago, two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside a stadium, just minutes after President Goodluck Jonathan had left the venue where he had given a campaign speech. Many people were injured.
In February 2012, Boko Haram launched its first offensive on the city, killing 14 people in a bomb attack on a police station. Soldiers repelled another attack on a nearby prison. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Clearly this is the hand work of those who did not want the the election to hold but we are watching and waiting for their next story. Up Buhari.
ReplyDeleteYou are an idiot for saying this, who is your stupid Buhari even. You are seeing people being killed and you still talking about up Buhari. Are you not ashamed that you have foreign forces in your backyard helping you to solve this mess your Buhari contributed? Please give us a break. The election you are talking about, was it the one that the ballot papers are found in London printing house. Nigerians should put sentiments aside and focus on the reality. What if the election isn't going to hold at all? If not that the election was postponed, the plan of these evil people was to waste many lives today. Just thank God that you have the help of the Countries around supporting to fight these menace that the depots have caused the Nigerians.
ReplyDeleteBuhari must nt win!
ReplyDeleteU can now c clearly dos behind BKH, Dey don 1 d election 2 hold even in 4 years 2 come mr gej rememba rowlen gbogbo of ivorycoast
ReplyDeleteI hope Buhari will not negotiate with Boko Haram.
ReplyDeleteI hope Buhari will not negotiate with Boko haram
ReplyDeleteThis clearly points to the fact that the sitting govt is behind BH. BH has never mentioned election boycott as a demand as demand from the people or the govt so why now that one fool does not want elections to hold? What the president is doing is unprecedented in the history of this country. OBJ in his wantoness and reckless thirst for power was democratic enough to have allowed primaries in his own party for his second term and I am sure he would have allowed same if his third term agitation sailed through. As it is characteristic of anyone who has never earned anything in his life but only benefitted from sheer providence, GEJ does not want competition because he is not used to fighting for anything. You either die like Yar'dua or steal and be incarcerated like Alameishaigha to pave way for him. Whatever it is that has helped chart his course in life and has brought him thus far has deserted him I guess. So he is only trying to be human and what instinctively comes out of a man is to cheat! GEJ once had the love and affection of Nigerians but not anymore. Nigerians are fed up with his ineptitude and are saying a loud goodbye. The onus is on him to listen to the voice of change now. His singular ambition is a dwarf beside the dire need for the unity of this country. He has ears twice the size of normal ones so he should put them to use. A word they say is enough for the wise but I think a thousand words would also be enough for a fool!
ReplyDelete