Many feared killed in Gwoza

• 2 APC chieftains shot dead

Many people were feared killed last night when troops engaged suspected members of the Boko Haram in Gwoza, Borno state.

Details of the fight were still sketchy at the time of this report but sources said the insurgents, armed with bombs and guns stormed Gwoza in a convoy of many vehicles but met resistance from security operatives and youth vigilantes, also known as civilian JTF.

One of the sources said some people have been killed; pointing out that the gun duel was still ongoing around 8pm.

“All roads to Gwoza have been blocked...and there is sporadic shooting going on,” he said.

Gwoza, situated in a rocky terrain in southern Borno shares border with Cameroon and is not far from the Sambisa Forest.

Daily Trust also learnt that gunmen suspected to be insurgents on Monday shot and killed the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kale/Balge local government area of Borno state, Alhaji Modu Janga and the youth leader, Alhaji Abba. It occured at about 11 am on Monday.

Our correspondent gathered that the two APC chieftains were killed in Mafa town along the Maiduguri-Dikwa road when their vehicle was ambushed by the insurgents.

The assailants who were three in number fled towards Dikwa leaving their victims in a pool of blood, a resident of Mafa who identified himself as Fogu Fannami told newsmen.

A security source confirmed the killing of the two APC chieftains to newsmen but did not give details as to how they were killed.