When extremists attacked the Borno State town of Marte on Saturday, November 20, they did not kill or injure anyone, burn down houses or raid a military base – instead they stormed the local clinic and looted all the medicines they could find.

The insurgents, thought to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), arrived in the town – near the shores of Lake Chad – at about 5.30 and left at 2am on Sunday.

Abatcha Umar Tela, RNI’s reporter in Dikwa, said it was difficult to get information about the attack because the telecommunications network was not working in Marte. It was only when a resident of Marte arrived in Dikwa that he was able to get some news about the attack.

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said it was an unusual attack because the insurgents did not harm civilians, burn houses or government facilities. Instead they took all the available medicines from the town’s clinic.

He said: “The insurgents came on foot and told us they had come to attack the army. Then they asked for directions to the clinic and proceeded to loot all the medicines they could find.

“Luckily they did not kill or harm anyone. But we kept hearing sounds of gunshots until around 2am.”

He said the town was quiet and residents had returned to doing their day-to-day activities.

HumAngle said sources had told it that the insurgents had looted hospital supplies and loaded them into a confiscated pick-up van and had burnt down a house occupied by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force. It said unconfirmed reports were that the insurgents had abducted some individuals linked to the state.