Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have attacked Gaya community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, killing a police inspector and seven civilians.
The attack reportedly occurred on Monday night when the assailants invaded the community, set two houses ablaze and killed eight people.
The Chairman of Hong Local Government Council, Aliyu Sa’ad, confirmed the attack on Tuesday.
According to Sa’ad, the attackers targeted two houses during the night attack, killing one police officer and seven civilians.
Security agencies deployed after Adamawa attack
The council chairman said the military, police, hunters and other security agencies had been deployed to the community to track down the attackers.
The spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, Suleiman Nguroje, also confirmed the attack, but said the number of recovered bodies at the time of his statement was lower than the figure provided by the council chairman.
Nguroje said five bodies, comprising four civilians and a police inspector, had been recovered after the attackers left the area.
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He added that the police were awaiting further reports from troops and other security agencies deployed to the area, including vigilantes and hunters.
The police spokesperson said the command would provide additional details as more information became available.
Hong community faces repeated attacks
The latest attack adds to the security challenges facing communities in Hong Local Government Area, which has experienced repeated attacks linked to insurgency in recent months.
Sa’ad said security agencies were working to identify and apprehend those responsible for the latest attack while restoring calm to the affected community.
Residents in parts of Adamawa have continued to face security threats from Boko Haram and other armed groups operating around communities bordering the Sambisa Forest.
The council chairman also disclosed that a proposed military barracks at Garaha, near one of the major routes used by insurgents to access the Sambisa Forest, had yet to commence operations.
Hong Local Government Area is also the hometown of two former Secretaries to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and Boss Mustapha.
