KEY POINTS

• Five security operatives are feared killed in attacks on two Adamawa communities.

• Troops reportedly repelled an insurgent advance towards Gombi.

• Residents seek stronger security as fears grow over farming and further attacks.

Five security operatives, including four soldiers and a Forest Guard, are feared dead after suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked two communities in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The attackers reportedly stormed Tela-Bala and Guyaku communities late on Saturday, 17 October, opening fire and forcing residents to flee their homes. The reported death toll has not been officially confirmed by the relevant authorities.

A resident, Bala Guyaku, told Daily Trust that the attack began at about 11:20 p.m. when he and some friends were preparing to go to bed.

He said they noticed unusual movements before gunshots rang out from a bush path leading into the community. Recognising the danger, they escaped through a little-known footpath into nearby bushes.

According to him, the attackers arrived on foot and surrounded the communities while most residents were asleep. The gunmen reportedly continued their operations throughout the night, leaving residents scrambling for safety.

Guyaku said the insurgents later attempted to advance towards Gombi, the local government headquarters, early on Sunday morning. However, troops deployed to reinforce security in the area reportedly repelled the advance.

He added that the attackers targeted a military armoured personnel carrier stationed at a checkpoint in Guyaku. They allegedly tried to seize the vehicle and set it on fire but failed. The insurgents then fired at it from close range, causing severe damage.

The attack has raised concerns about the safety of residents, particularly farmers who may be unable to access their fields to harvest their crops.

Guyaku appealed to the authorities to deploy more security personnel to the affected communities, warning that their proximity to Sambisa Forest in neighbouring Borno State made a stronger security presence necessary.

The forest has long been associated with Boko Haram operations, making nearby communities vulnerable to attacks and movements by armed groups.

The lawmaker representing Gombi Constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Rufa’i Umar Gombi, confirmed that suspected insurgents had attacked Tela-Bala and Guyaku.

He said he had received reports that several people were killed, including four soldiers and a Forest Guard. However, he stressed that the casualty figures were yet to be officially verified.

The lawmaker was travelling to the affected communities to assess the situation when he spoke to the newspaper.

Efforts to obtain comments from Gombi Local Government Chairman Mark Ishaya were unsuccessful. Attempts to reach the information unit of the military’s Operation Hadin Kai in Maiduguri also did not produce a response at the time the report was filed.

Attack may be linked to recent military operation

A security analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested that the attack could be a reprisal for a military operation conducted about two weeks earlier in Garaha-Lar, within Dugwaba District of Hong Local Government Area.

During that operation, troops reportedly killed six insurgents. The analyst said other fighters were believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds.

However, the report did not establish a confirmed link between the earlier operation and the attack on the two Gombi communities.

If the incidents are connected, the attack could indicate continued efforts by insurgents to retaliate against security operations and maintain pressure on communities in the region.

Traditional ruler blames informants

The Kumu Gombi I, Gombi’s traditional ruler, His Royal Highness Aggrey Danjuma Ali, blamed individuals who provide information and other forms of support to criminal groups for worsening insecurity in the area.

The monarch made the remarks on Saturday while receiving the new District Head of Garkida, Andrawus Tarfa Fulani, and his entourage during a visit to his palace.

He said people assisting criminal groups and insurgents were undermining efforts to restore lasting peace across Gombi Chiefdom.

The comments point to concerns about the role of local informants in helping armed groups identify targets, monitor security movements and plan attacks. However, the report did not identify any suspects or provide evidence linking specific individuals to the latest assault.

Meanwhile, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has urged the Federal Government to modernise Nigeria’s international land borders with technology-driven surveillance equipment, including drones.

He said improved border monitoring would help security agencies track and combat criminal groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

Fintiri made the appeal at the Federal and State Security Administrators Meeting in Yola on Thursday. The meeting, organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, brought together security administrators and representatives from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Participants discussed security challenges across the country, with particular attention to the North-East.

The latest attack adds to concerns about the vulnerability of communities in Adamawa and the wider North-East, where insurgent activity continues to threaten lives, farming and local economic activity. Residents are now calling for stronger security deployments to prevent further attacks and make it safer for displaced people to return home.