Boko Haram raids spark ‘confused migration’

Residents of insurgency-ravaged villages and towns of Borno, Adamawa and Bauchi states who migrated to Gombe and neighbouring states (pictured) are moving out of the state again, following Boko Haram attacks in Gombe.

Since the government’s declaration of a ceasefire on October 27, Boko Haram has executed a bomb blast in Bauchi that killed at least five people on first count. It has also attacked Kukawa and Askira Uba villages in Borno, and Mubi in Adamawa, killing “many people”.

These attacks triggered an exodus of residents of these three states into neighbouring states, particularly Gombe.

But after Gombe itself came under attacks – a suicide blast a motor park and a gun-and-grenade raid at a police station, Gombe immigrants are fleeing again.

“What is going on in the northeast now is what I can call confused migration,” a Gombe resident told TheCable.

“There are immigrants from Adamawa, Borno and Bauchi; but since the recent attack in Gombe, some have started fleeing to Bauchi, and from Bauchi to Kano.”

A second resident told TheCable  that heavy movement of people became particularly noticeable on Wednesday, after Boko Haram foot soldiers invaded Ashaka cement in Bajoga local government on Tuesday, killing some people and making away with loads of dynamite.

“Inside the Ashaka Company, they took some vehicles, filled them dynamite and went away with them yesterday,” he said.

“So far, for now, the place is free and normal activity is going on there. They burned the police station in Nafada. The people that came from the two local governments (Bajoga and Nafada) to Gombe are now leaving to Adamawa, Kano and Bauchi, but the area is calm now.

“However, a good  number of people who are uncomfortable with the looting of the company’s dynamite bank are leaving. There worry is that these guys should still come back to hurt them with the dynamites that they have forcefully taken.

“The government has therefore closed down both private and public schools in Gombe because of insecurity.”