Dozens of residents of Hong town, the headquarters of Hong local government area, were feared killed as members of the Boko Haram sect took over the control of the town which is about 150 kilometres away from Yola, the state capital.
Reports say the police divisional headquarters of the town has been razed down by the insurgents who also hoisted their flags in the town.
The insurgents had recently been dispersed by local hunters and civilian JTF from Mubi town which they held for many weeks before they were routed.
Immediately after they were dispersed from Mubi, they ran to Hong and Gombi Local government areas and were able to exert their control in Hong as security agents deserted the area.
Former minister of health, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said his town has been completely taken over by the insurgents.
“They have taken over Hong, terrorising people, and have set ablaze the divisional police station of the town,” he said.
Following the annexation of Hong by the insurgents, hundreds of residents have been trooping to the state capital to avoid been caught by the Boko Haram terrorists.
A fleeing resident of Hong, who simply identified himself as Paul, said the insurgents seemed to be on a revenge mission as they were said to be furiously looking for the local hunters to inflict harm on them, just as he added that the Nigerian troops in collaboration with local hunters are making frantic efforts to recapture the town from the insurgents.
Many residents of Hong were reported to have fled to the nearby bushes where they are linking up with other parts of the state.
Confirming the Hong attack, Dr Hong told reporters yesterday in Yola that Boko Haram had rained havoc on his people.
However, the director of press and public affairs to Adamawa State governor, Mr P. P. Elisha, while reacting to the spate of attacks on the state, said the government was on top of the security situation, adding that Governor Bala Ngillari was not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that lasting peace is restored back.
“The governor has held a security meeting with heads of security agencies in the state this morning for a lasting solution to the insurgency bedevilling the state,” he said.
Elisha cautioned against the spread of rumours, adding that contrary to insinuations that the insurgents were advancing towards Yola, the reverse was the case, noting that the insurgents are being cornered.
He said when the insurgents were dispersed from Mubi, they made an attempt to escape out of Adamawa State through Garkida and adjoining routes, but their effort to escape was frustrated as all roads leading out of the state had been blocked, which made them to return to Hong and Gombi local government areas.
Elisha added that the state government has fully mobilised all security outfits in conjunction with the local hunters and the Civilian JTF to provide a water-tight security in the state, while assuring residents that the issue of insurgency would soon be a thing of the past in the state.
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