Boko Haram attack on Garkida community of Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa state where life and properties worth billions of naira were destroyed could not impede the celebration of Christmas.
The attack on Christmas eve was seen as a morale booster for the people to hold their Christmas celebrations peaceful and amidst fun fare.
A viral video on social media revealed hundreds of people in a high spirit and celebration mode dancing, singing, and matching the major Streets of the town.
An All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain, Chief Emmanuel Bello, who is a Son of the Soil said that celebrations galore is what some people (Boko Haram) don’t like and they can’t kill the spirit.
“This way they try to stop the people of Garkida, the celebrations went on smoothly today.” He said
In the video Emmanuel Bello confirmed, one can deduce that the spirit of love, unity, and joy has been reactivated despite the attack that supposes to make them flaccid, run away, or turn fugitives.
The celebration also went on well with no fear of a possible second attack despite an alarm raised by the lawmaker representing Gombi Constituency, in the statehouse of assembly, Japhet Kefas who asked military authorities to halt a second attack being planned by Boko haram on Garkida.
Kefas revealed that 9 trucks were sighted carrying Boko Haram, fighters at Calamba, outskirts of Garkda, on Saturday evening, triggering panic, lawmaker representing the area described it as similar to the mode which the insurgents used in the attack on Garkida on the eve of Christmas.
Japhet said, he was not going to be carefree with the information on the movements of the insurgents, because it was similarly the insurgents operated on the eve of Christmas, resulting in the deaths of six persons.
He said, ” Information has just reached us, now that Boko Haram men are mobilizing themselves to Garkida for another attack, urging us to be careful.
Now we are mobilizing hunters to Garkida to repel, another possible attack.
We are working keenly to deploy vigilantes and hunters to Garkida town, the logistics are quite demanding to carter for the hunters who will be camped in the town for some time.”
Japhet disclosed that the casualty from the attacks by insurgents on Garkida, on the eve of Christmas recorded six instant deaths, it is still not yet clear if the two persons abducted by the insurgents are dead or alive.
He said a search party made of hunters and civilian JTF, who had gone out to seek the two lads abducted by the insurgents had yet found the young lads.
He explained that due to the similar mode of operation adopted by the insurgents, he would not afford to joke with the information that the sighting of the insurgents in nine trucks heading for Garkida.
According to him, ” There’s need for precaution, and we have notified all relevant security agencies about the possibility of a second attack, by the insurgents on Garkida town because of awkward movements reminiscent of the first attack on the eve of Christmas, resulting in the death of six persons. We can’t count the casualties but there were six instant deaths; a fourteen-year-old girl and one vigilante are receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained in the attacks. The attackers burnt truck payloaders, heavy trucks meant for the construction of Gombi- Garkida and Biu Township roads. They also burnt a bus loaded with wrappers, looted shops and houses,s and set the vigilante and military dent in Garkida ablaze. A fourteen-year-old girl with gunshot wounds and one while as a sign of another impending attack causing many to begin to leave the town.”.
Attacks by Boko Haram elements on Garkida, a town located at the foot of Mandara mountains, exploited by insurgents in the guerrilla warfare, have witnessed recurring attacks, particularly during festive periods. Early this year attacks by the insurgents left scores of persons killed while churches, hospitals, and telecommunication infrastructure in the town were destroyed. It was one of the worst attacks carried out by insurgents since the recapture of the town from the insurgents in 2014, following the capture of Gombi, Michika, Maiha, Mubi North, Mubi Sout,h and Hong by insurgents.
