The Yobe State Police Command in North East Nigeria has confirmed the attacks by Boko Haram insurgents on Geidam.
The spokesman of the command ASP Dungus Abdulkareem told the BBC that around 1pm on Wednesday rumours started flying that Boko Haram insurgents were seen on the outskirts of the town in 11 vehicles, leading to panic among the people.
From there, security agents were on alert but the rumour turned out to be false, and people continued their normal activities.
”The insurgents entered the town on foot and left their vehicles behind, because they learnt that security agents had been alerted. When it started getting dark, around Maghrib time, they started shooting,” ASP Abdulkareem said.
He added that they abducted the district head of Ma-Gana, and razed the house of the former chairman of Geidam local government. They also destroyed the house of the district head they abducted.
”They broke into pharmaceutical shops and stole medicines, they broke into shops selling grains and looted them, before moving into the main hospital in the town where they also looted drugs and other medicines,” he said.
The police said a young girl hit by stray bullet on her forehead is receiving treatment at a hospital.
Two gun trucks believed to have been brought by Boko Haram were also found burnt with two people inside, while a vehicle belonging to the NCDC was stolen by the insurgents.
A resident told the BBC that the Boko Haram insurgents entered the town around 5pm and operated until around 3am.
”Even around 12am we could hear sounds of gunshots from our rooms. They went to the hospital and other pharmacies and looted medicines,” he said, adding that they came in vehicles but divided themselves.
”They came in about seven vehicles, each carrying like two insurgents, most of them young boys,” he added.
He said they did not enter the market even though it was a market day.
