Health workers and security sources have put the death toll in Monday’s attack by Boko Haram in Damaturu, Yobe State at over 220 even as more corpses were evacuated from the streets on Tuesday, Daily Trust has reported.
The dead included over 150 militants, six soldiers, and 33 policemen.
The Yobe State police spokesman, Nansel Chagwang, was also killed in the attack, according to a security source.
A 24-hour curfew announced by the state government after soldiers repelled the militants in a bloody battle Monday kept residents indoors, while workers from the state Ministry of Environment, NEMA and the Red Cross picked up the bodies.
Residents around Gujba and Gashua roads, New Jerusalem, Nasarawa, GRA, the Damaturu major roundabout said corpses inundated their abode.
The security source said many civilians were also killed in the attack, adding that “Collation of the casualty figure is still on. Some militants and civilians died in the bush while fleeing.”
“The state’s police spokesman, Nansel Chagwang, was among the officers killed”, he said.
According to the source, while fleeing, the surviving militants loaded bodies of their dead colleagues into four Hilux vans and went away with them.
Daily Trust reported that Arab Umar, the Registrar of the state polytechnic, Gaidam and two of his sons were also killed.
“The death of Arab is shrouded in controversy. He actually left his house with two of his wives, two elderly sons and some younger children,” said a neighbour.
“He wanted to run away from Damaturu but we later learnt that the terrorists abducted him and his two sons, leaving the two wives and the younger children,” he added.
Another source said a military fighter jet later killed the abductors with the registrar and his sons.
Mohammed Ali, another Damaturu resident, said over 10 insurgents who were trapped in the town, were later captured by residents.
He said while two were set ablaze by angry residents, the rest were handed over to security agents. Commending the gallantry of troops in the attack, Ali however berated the army’s defensive tactics.
He said: “Why must they always wait for them to attack instead of taking the war to them? The Boko Haram insurgents have been having a field day for over two months in Buni Yadi which is less than 50 kilometers from Damaturu. I think it would be better to go and confront them there.”
Residents said some militants were burnt beyond recognition so it would be difficult to know their exact casualty figure.
The overwhelmed militants abandoned more than 10 vehicles with Arabic inscriptions at different locations of the town. Three Hilux vans belonging to the army, the vigilante and the police were burnt close to Yobe State University gate.
Sources at the university said the militants snatched five vehicles belonging to the school and burnt the Administration block.
On the other hand, over 10 Hilux vans used by the militants were destroyed but they managed to snatch cars from the INEC premises and the state university to flee.
A mobile policeman said over 30 cars and official vehicles were burnt at the Mopol 41 base located along Gujba Road. Structures at the base according to the source were also torched.
Security operatives and volunteers yesterday continued their arrest of some militants trapped in various locations, an effort witnesses said had been fruitful. All streets of the state capital remained deserted yesterday except for movement of security forces. There were 13 corpses of mobile policemen, 40 bodies of insurgents and those of two civilians taken to the morgue.
Daily Trust reports that Boko Haram militants launched a dawn raid on Monday morning in Damaturu, and attacked a number of security formations and public building. The militants, who set out from Gujba road, also attacked the Yobe State Government House, but were repelled by soldiers. The governor was out of town on the day of the attack.
Two medical doctors – Dr. Hassan Lawan and Dr. Mansur Baballe – working with Sani Abacha Special Hospital Damaturu were killed by the insurgents, according to the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Yobe State chapter, Dr Adamu Alhassan Umar.
the officers killed”, he said.
According to the source, while fleeing, the surviving militants loaded bodies of their dead colleagues into four Hilux vans and went away with them.
Our correspondents gathered that Arab Umar, the Registrar of the state polytechnic, Gaidam and two of his sons were also killed.
“The death of Arab is shrouded in controversy. He actually left his house with two of his wives, two elderly sons and some younger children,” said a neighbour.
“He wanted to run away from Damaturu but we later learnt that the terrorists abducted him and his two sons, leaving the two wives and the younger children,” he added.
Another source said a military fighter jet later killed the abductors with the registrar and his sons.
Hamidu Sama’ila, who lives along Gujba Road, said he saw pick-up vans and ambulances conveying corpses to the Sani Abatcha Specialist Hospital in Damaturu.
“Some of the vans passed through this area more than 10 times. Evacuation of corpses has been going on since morning,” he said.
Mohammed Ali, another Damaturu resident, said over 10 insurgents who were trapped in the town, were later captured by residents.
He said while two were set ablaze by angry residents, the rest were handed over to security agents. Commending the gallantry of troops in the attack, Ali however berated the army’s defensive tactics.
He said: “Why must they always wait for them to attack instead of taking the war to them? The Boko Haram insurgents have been having a field day for over two months in Buni Yadi which is less than 50 kilometers from Damaturu. I think it would be better to go and confront them there.”
Residents said some militants were burnt beyond recognition so it would be difficult to know their exact casualty figure.
The overwhelmed militants abandoned more than 10 vehicles with Arabic inscriptions at different locations of the town. Three Hilux vans belonging to the army, the vigilante and the police were burnt close to Yobe State University gate.
Sources at the university said the militants snatched five vehicles belonging to the school and burnt the Administration block.
On the other hand, over 10 Hilux vans used by the militants were destroyed but they managed to snatch cars from the INEC premises and the state university to flee.
A mobile policeman said over 30 cars and official vehicles were burnt at the Mopol 41 base located along Gujba Road. Structures at the base according to the source were also torched.
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