Hundreds of gunmen in a convoy of more than 50 Hilux vans attacked Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, yesterday evening, where they succeeded in burning down all public buildings like schools, hospitals/clinics, police stations and all telecommunications masts in the council headquarters.
Marte is about 150 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital which also shares borders with Baga and Chad Republic. It is also “Ground Zero” of Boko Haram sect which has witnessed series of attacks and bombings.
A top police officer in Marte said: “The gunmen invaded the town at about 4p.m with over 50 Hilux 4-wheel drive vehicles armed with sophisticated weapons, chanting Allahu Akbar, meaning (God is Great) and started throwing Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, at all public structures without being challenged by security operatives.”
Another reliable source said: “Apart from the Lake Chad Development site, no other public structure remained standing in the town as all of them have been destroyed by the terrorists.”
Our correspondent gathered that the suspected terrorists had after the Baga carnage, issued a warning that Marte town would be their next target of attack.
No life was, however, lost as the terrorists had warned those working in the public buildings in the town to vacate before they struck.
Contacted, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Yuguda Abdullahi and his image maker, DSP Gideon Jubrin’s phones rang several times without response, but a top security officer who did not want his name mentioned confirmed the incident.