20 slaughtered as residents flee Damaturu over serial killings

By MOHAMMED IGBADIA
Fear, panic gripped residents as many flee
Damaturu, the Yobe state capital as over 20
people have been slaughtered in various
parts of the state in the last few days.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that since the
Eid-el-fitr Sallah festival, unchecked serial
killings have been going on in the state
capital. Worst hit areas marked as no go
areas include Ajari, Powari, Gwange,
Nasarawa and Jerusalem wards respectively.
It would be recalled that the sect members
popularly known as Boko Haram had been claiming responsibility for several killings in the
state and other parts of the country.
Reacting to the development, Yobe state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam yesterday in a
special broadcast to the people of the state on the security situation and related issues,
commiserated with the people over the loss of lives and property while he appealed for calm
and continuous prayers towards the restoration of normalcy in the state.
He said “we have not witnessed the normalcy we desire and people have continued to panic
and flee Damaturu in thousands making it look like a ghost town”.
The Governor sympathised with all those who lost their loved ones or property in the attacks
as well as those who were traumatised by the flood disasters and heavy rainfall recently,
urging them to take heart as government is in control of the situation.
He charged all the traditional rulers to direct the community leaders to embark on assurance
and confidence- building interactions with the people in their domains.