5 security operatives killed as B/Haram attacks Adamawa communities

Five security operatives, consisting of four soldiers and a Forest Guard, are believed to have been killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack on the Tela-Bala and Guyaku communities, located within Gombi Local Government Area in Adamawa State. The insurgent group reportedly invaded the two villages around 11:20 pm on Saturday night, engaging in gunfire and forcing residents to flee.

A local resident named Bala Guyaku relayed his experience to a reporter, describing how the militants approached the area on foot and began targeting villagers once they emerged from their homes after dark. Guyaku stated that he and some friends remained calm during the attack and managed to escape through an unknown path, avoiding capture by the insurgents.

The attackers later attempted to seize an armored personnel carrier (APC) at a checkpoint in Guyaku, though their efforts were foiled by the local troops. Local officials, including the representative of Gombi Constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Rufa'U Umar Gombi, confirmed the attack and stated that scores of people were killed, including soldiers and a Forest Guard.

However, the exact death toll has yet to be officially confirmed. The chairman of Gombi Local Government Area, Mark Ishaya, and the head of the information unit of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, were unavailable for comment. A security analyst suggested that the attack could have been a response to a recent military operation in Garaha-Lar, Dugwaba District, which resulted in the deaths of six insurgents two weeks prior.

Additionally, the traditional ruler of Gombi, His Royal Highness Aggrey Danjuma Ali, accused some residents of being informants that aided insurgents in carrying out attacks in the area, while Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri urged the Federal Government to upgrade and modernize the nation's land borders with advanced technology to better combat threats from groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP.