‘ISWAP fighters gathering to launch attacks’ — Borno residents raise the alarm

Residents of Chibok and Damboa in Borno state have raised the alarm over a possible attack by the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP).

Some of the residents who called TheCable Tuesday morning said they have been observing how the insurgents are gathering at Gumsuri Litawa since Christmas eve.

Gumsuri Litawa is an area between Chibok and Damboa — and about 22 kilometres or 12 kimoletres away.

Such gatherings, the residents say are usually prior to an attack on the communities.

“When they gather like that, they start to infiltrate the towns and before you know it, they have launched the attack,” one of the residents said.

TheCable understands that the residents have already alerted the army formations in the area but no action has been taken yet.

While the army’s 25 brigade is headquartered in Damboa, the 28 taskforce brigade is in Chibok.

“Troops normally patrol this general area, but they had stopped and we don’t know why,” one of the residents in Chibok told TheCable.

Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesperson, was not immediately available to comment on the development.

In October, the insurgents attacked Damboa with about 15 gun trucks.

Dzarma Zirkusu, commander of the brigade in Chibok, was killed by the insurgents in November.

Two days to Christmas, ISWAP launched multiple attacks on Maiduguri, the state capital, as President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting the state.