A day after President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the committee on amnesty for Boko Haram, members of the sect engaged Joint Task Force (JTF) in a battle.

Twenty-five people were killed in the clash early yesterday, which occurred in Gashua, in Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State. Scores sustained injuries.

Gashua is 187 kilometers north of Damaturu, the state capital.

JTF spokesman in the Northeast state, Lt. Eli Lazarus, said in a statement yesterday that the insurgents were repelled.

“At about 12 mid-night, Thursday 25th April, 2013, unknown gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists attacked JTF location in Gashua town, the Police Area Command and Gashua Divisional Police Station.

“Men of the JTF were able to repel and contain the attack on its location.

“Reinforcement was, however, dispatched swiftly.

“Two police officers were killed in the attack while five of the suspected terrorists lost their lives during the encounter.

“Some of the suspected terrorists escaped in two vehicles with injuries while others are believed to still be in the town.

“The fleeing terrorists took away one police Hilux vehicle fitted with siren at the top, one other vehicle, police uniforms and other items from the police stations.

“Items recovered include: Toyota Corolla car, Peugeot 406 saloon car, Isuzu pick-up van, one AK 47 rifle, a police riot gun, one locally -made pistol, one Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) bomb, one generating set and large quantity of ammunition.”

The statement warned citizens to be careful but not to panic as JTF is poised to flush out the insurgents.

It reads: “The public is enjoined to be mindful of the fact that the terrorists are still around and are bent on wreaking havoc and instilling fear in law abiding citizens in other to make life unbearable for them.

“Let no one be in doubt however, that JTF would continue to respond appropriately to such attacks.

“The taskforce urges all law-abiding citizens to remain calm as it is currently on top of the situation.”

A cordon-and-search operation is currently ongoing in Gashua town.

State Police Commissioner Alhaji Sanusi Rufai, who confirmed the incident said that over N9 million was carted away from a commercial bank during the attack by Islamic terrorists.

Rufai told reporters in Damaturu that two injured policemen were taken to the hospital.

According to him, the gunmen seized the bank manager and forced him to open the vault.

The Commissioner said one of the gunmen who was arrested, has been assiting the police with information on the attack.

He said: “It is the same group using police and military uniforms that attacked Tarmuwa, Gulami and Geidam in recent times.”



http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/five-policemen-20-suspected-terrorists-die-in-jtf-boko-haram-clash-in-yobe/

JTF spokesman in the Northeast
state, Lt. Eli Lazarus, said in a
statement yesterday that the
insurgents were repelled.

“Two police officers were killed
in the attack while five of the
suspected terrorists lost their
lives during the encounter.
“Some of the suspected
terrorists escaped in two
vehicles with injuries while
others are believed to still be in
the town.
“The fleeing terrorists took
away one police Hilux vehicle
fitted with siren at the top, one
other vehicle, police uniforms
and other items from the police
stations.