By Garba Mohammad/Yola
The dreaded Boko Haram sect members have continued to maintain it occupation of Madagali, Gulak, Shuwa, Michika and Bazza towns in northern parts of Adamawa state despite the efforts made by Nigeria troops to reclaim the area.The insurgents’ defiant hold on the towns continues just as reports indicate that Boko Haram attacked a platoon led by ,Lt-Col Adeboye Obasanjo , son of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, shooting him on his legs, and has been transported to a yet to be disclosed hospital.
Obasanjo’s son, an army engineer, is a Lieutenant Colonel at the 3rd Division in Jos, Plateau State. He and his platoon were engaged with Boko Haram militants at Bazza, which is the village of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the division when the incident took place.
The report on the shooting of Obasanjo’s son was first broken by Sahara Reporters earlier on Monday.There was no official statement on the incident at the time of filing this report.
It was also reported that about 24 soldiers in the platoon were feared killed by the rampaging Boko Haram members.
The siege on Gulak, Michaka and its environs has caused ripple effects on the commercial border town of Mubi as many have deserted the town with reports saying that several people crossed over to the neighboring Cameroun.
Fleeing residents said that the streets of Michika –down to Madagali are being patrolled by the insurgents after hoisting their flags.
In the meantime ,the authorities of Adamawa State University, Mubi, have announced indefinite closure of the institution due to the fear of possible attack from Boko Haram insurgents.
Malam Hassan Tanko, Acting Registrar of the institution, who announced the closure in Yola directed students to go home, stating that the university was closed indefinitely for security reasons.
Mubi, 25 kms from Gulak which was annexed Saturday by Boko Haram sect , appears to be the next target for the militants.
Hitherto,Mubi provided a refuge for residents and soldiers who escaped from the besieged towns of Gulak,Gwoza,Madagali and other attacked villages.
“But the prevalent wisdom is that it may not be long before the town also falls to the rampaging militants,’’ said Bello Musa a fleeing resident.
Reports indicated that residents of Mubi rushed to the motor park there to escape from the town and some students even found it difficult to leave because of the horde of people seeking to flee the embattled town.
Some students of the university, told reporters on telephone that they were stranded due to residents’ rush to leave the town.
One of the students who identified himself as Ali Garga said many commuters were now stranded in the commercial border town due to lack of vehicles.
“The Motor park is now jam-packed with stranded passengers with no vehicle to move them out,” Ali said.
