A hospital, schools and houses were burnt – and many residents had to flee into the bush, fearing for their lives – when suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked Kilangarchi, a small village in the Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, on Wednesday, November 10.
Residents told RNI reporter Alkali Mustapha that the attack started at about 11.30pm and lasted three to four hours.
Goni Modu, a resident of the town, said: “I was running my business peacefully in the market when I saw everyone running and we all headed to the bush for our safety.”
He said the fighters burnt down the hospital, schools and homes.
An intelligence source told PR Nigeria that the ISWAP arrived disguised as visitors but when they realised that there was no security personnel or soldiers in the area they started shooting in the air and destroying all structures in sight.
Modu confirmed there were no soldiers or security officials in the area. And, by the time they arrived, the attackers had already left.
No one died in the attack. It was not known if any residents were wounded or injured.
This was the third time this year that the Askira-Uba Local Government Area had been attacked by ISWAP and/or the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram.
