Boko Haram burns ‘military base’, school, health facility in Yobe

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents in the early hours of Tuesday burnt down a ‘military base’, school and health facility in Katarko village in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

Katarko is about 25 kilometres east of Damaturu, the state capital.

The burnt primary school was renovated by Victim Support Fund a few years ago after the insurgents first burnt it down in 2013.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that an NGO had stored food items in the school for distribution but the insurgents got the information and decided to attack the school and loot the items.

Villagers said the gunmen also invaded the primary healthcare centre in the village and set the facility ablaze after looting its drugs store.

Modu Katarko, a resident, told PREMIUM TIMES that the insurgents came around 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday and left the village unchallenged after more than one hour.

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“We heard them shouting Allah Alkabar! Allah Alkabar! after the early morning prayers and shooting sporadically. Everyone ran indoors until about one hour when they finished their operation and left the village.

“The primary school, primary healthcare facility and the military base here were all burnt down,” Mr Modu said.

Neither the police nor military has issued an official statement on the attack.

The army spokesperson, Sector 2 Operation Lafiya Dole, Kennedy Anyanwu, did not respond to messages sent to his phone for his comments by our correspondent.