Again, 7 killed in JTF, Boko Haram gun battle

NO fewer than 7 persons were confirmed to have been killed in a gun battle at about 2pm yesterday, when gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram attacked 21 Brigade troops’ location at Marte, Marte Local Government Area in the Northern part of Borno State.
A statement from the office of the security Joint task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa said, during the attack one soldier, one police personnel and 5 gunmen lost their lives.
According to the statement, no civilian casualty was recorded in the exchange of fire, however, the military has recovered; 2 AK 47 Rifles, 1 locally made double barrel gun, 3 magazines loaded with 35 rounds of assorted ammunition, 1 dane gun and 4 machetes.
Earlier, sources who spoke to Nigerian Tribune on the attack in Marte local government said the soldiers were ambushed by the terrorists group and engaged them in a fierce gun battle leading to the death of not less than 8 uniformed men.
However, other sources including the military authority said that, it is not true, as killing of 8 military personnel as claimed by some locals in the area would have left not a single stall standing in the area, owing to evident military operations as witnessed late last year in Gwange and other parts of Borno state.
From another development Adamawa Police Command on Thursday confirmed the killing of four people by gunmen in Song Town, the Headquarters of Song Local Government Area.
The spokesman for the command, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the early morning attack claimed the lives of a soldier, a policeman, an old woman and her grandchild.
Mr. Ibrahim said the gunmen, who used machine guns and explosives, burnt the Song Divisional Police Station and the Local Government Secretariat.
The  attack came less than a week after a similar attack in Maiha, Hong and Fufore local government areas of the state.
In Maiha, two people lost their lives in the attack that affected the police station, prison, area court, local education authority, customs post and district head’s office.
In Hong, where police repelled the attackers from burning the Divisional Police Station, two people sustained bullet injuries, including the newly elected Hong Local Government Chairman, Ahmed Yerima, who was hit by a stray bullet.
Meanwhile, reports say residents of Yola, the state capital, are apprehensive over the development.
“If you know Adamawa well, after Maiha, Hong, Song, the next place is Yola,” a resident said.