From John Adams, Minna
Barely one week after gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents ambushed and killed two military officers and four other soldiers in Karaga in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, the insurgents have again invaded Allawa community in the same Shiroro local government area and sacked the military camp stationed in the town.
The insurgents, said to be numbering well over 200, invaded the community at about 1:30am, yesterday, and engaged the military in a fierce gun battle, forcing the soldiers to abandon the camp.
While some groups of the insurgents were said to have engaged the military in the camp, others took over the entire Allawa town, forcing the residents to flee in different directions for safety.
Although there were no details yet on the level of casualties from both sides, the insurgents were said to be on a revenge mission after last week’s encounter with the military, where over 50 of them were neutralised.
A source close to the community said the residents have migrated to the Erena community, about 50 kilometres from Allawa community. It was gathered that the development has sent fears to the residents of Bassa, Pandogari and Kukoki communities who had begun to move out of the town to neighbouring villages and communities. There was no statement yet from both the government and the state police command on the latest development.