Suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group in Friday night’s attack on Garkida town in Adamawa State, North-East Nigeria burnt down the police station and churches in the area.
Also razed down is the house belonging to Chairman of the North-East Development Commission, NEDC, General Paul Tarfa (Rtd) among several other buildings.
A former Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, General Tarfa was also military governor of the old Oyo State.
A resident of Garkida town, Andrawus Tarfa confirmed the level of destruction in the town by Boko Haram in a telephone interview with AIT.
Andrawus narrated how the insurgents came in vans and looted the town of foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products before setting on fire major structures like churches, police station and the retired Army General’s house without any challenge from Nigerian forces.
He also revealed how a battalion of troops in the town was withdrawn leaving behind just a few soldiers who could not repel the terrorists.
The Police Public Relations Officer of Adamawa State Command, DSP Sulaiman Nguroje when contacted on the issue, declined comments, stressing that it is exclusively a military affair.