JTF, terrorists clash claims two lives in Maiduguri

BY NDAHI MARAMA,
MAIDUGURI – Men of the military Joint Task Force (JTF) clashed with gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram gunmen in Gambouru ward of Maiduguri metropolis in Borno state, killing two civilians on Thursday at 11am.

A resident and an eyewitness said that the clash occurred when suspected gunmen attacked one of the military patrol vehicles near Kofa Biyu on the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Way.

He said: “we had to run for our dare lives, as the shootings between soldiers and gunmen were from front, right and back. I cannot tell you whether some people were killed in the shootouts, but some of us run into our houses for fear of being killed by stray bullets this morning here in Gambouru.”

An attendant of the Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH)  also confirmed  that two bodies of civilians were brought into the hospital by the JTF van.

The attendant in a text message to newsmen yesterday said: “two men in personal dress were brought in dead now at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit of Teaching Hospital by a JTF van at about 12
noon Thursday.”

Speaking on Thursday’s clash, the spokesman of JTF, Lt. Col Sagir Musa said: “I am not aware of the shootouts between us and suspected gunmen. But I will investigate to confirm today’s shootouts in the
metropolis, before reaching to you if there were casualties.”

Confirming the incident, the Borno state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Jibrin said that there was a clash between men of the JTF and suspected gunmen in Gombouru ward of Maiduguri on
Thursday, where some civilians were injured by stray bullets.

He said the police area commander of Gambouru ward, was yet to send his report on the incident to the headquarters for further investigations.
End.