Police and troops in Adamawa State have mounted sentry at  Dong and Lawaru villages in Demsa Local Government Area of the state to ward off further attacks by armed militia. Both communities were attacked by persons suspected to be insurgents masquerading as herdsmen.

The state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh, who confirmed the incident, also described it as “unfortunate”.

Sajoh said the state government had held an emergency security meeting on the incident and had taken measures to contain the situation.

He said that military personnel and policemen had been deployed to the affected villages to contain the attackers.

“I can’t say the number of casualties for now as security men are still there to chase out the attackers, ” Sajoh said.

The Spokesman of the Police Command in the state, SP Othman Abubakar, who also confirmed the incident, said mobile policemen, soldiers, air force and other security personnel from sister security agencies had been deployed to contain the situation.

Abubakar also said that more highway Police Patrol teams were drafted along the Yola–Numan–Gombe road to ensure safety of travelers along the road.

Meanwhile, residents of Numan, the third largest town in Adamawa, are fleeing the town for safety as rumours continue to spread that the attackers are heading toward the town.