Boko Haram insurgents attacked three communities in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State Monday night, dislodging policemen on routine duty and wreaking havoc on the town.

A security officer who spoke on the incident on condition of anonymity Tuesday morning said the insurgents killed three people, destroyed 20 shops and three cars and carted away valuable items.

The anonymous security officer named the communities affected as Shuwa, Kirshingari and Shuari.

This latest attack confirms fears over the security situation in Madagali, the only local government area in Adamawa State where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier said voting would take place in only three communities, including Shuwa.

Residents said the insurgents who arrived in several vehicles about 7pm Monday, took over Madagali until soldiers from Gulak and Michika intervened to engage the insurgents in a battle that lasted for about two hours.

The Commander of 28 Task Force Battalion in Mubi, Lt Col Haruna, said the insurgents had been repelled.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State, DSP Othman Abubakar, assured that a combined team of security personnel had brought the situation under control.

Madagali is one of the seven LGAs in Adamawa State that Boko Haram once seized. The situation remained so bad in the area just before elections in 2015 that the elections did not hold there and the neighbouring Michika LGA.

The Nation