Katarko, a town located 20 kilometres to the southern part of Yobe state capital, Damaturu is under fresh attack by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.

This attack is coming barely 48 hours after the insurgents ambushed military base in Kuka-reta, 20 kilometres east of Damaturu, where they killed thirteen soldiers and destroyed their base.

Daily Trust gathered that the attackers stormed the town at about 5:45pm on Wednesday (today) just as gunfire is still raging around the military location at the outskirt of the town.

A resident, Malam Muhammad Dallatu, who escaped the attack, said the assailants drove to the town in 10 Hilux vans and started shooting sporadically.

“We were told by villagers in Lineri vilage that the militants were moving towards our area, but before we could even told families they had arrived. We all scampered for safety leaving them at their mercy,” he said.

He said that sporadic gunshots are still on as thick smoke engulfed the sky in the area.

“The smoke is coming from the direction of the primary school,” he added.

He also complained that they are taking refuge in the bush along with women and children despite the intense harmattan breeze.

Katarko town had on November 7, 2018 (about 2 months back) suffered similar attack that left the military facility and an Armoured Personal Carrier burnt.

However, the third attack on the town on July 27, 2014 claimed several lives and over hundred women and children were abducted.

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report