Suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked four communities in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Tuesday evening, killing a yet-to-be-confirmed number of people.

The insurgents hit Madagali, Gulak, Magar and Shuwa communities, killing and destroying properties before they were overpowered by soldiers who killed some of them and forced the rest to run to surrounding mountains.

The latest attack on Madagali came as the 3rd in nine days, following an attack on February 4 when three residents lost their lives, and another on February 11 when a village head and a soldier were killed.

The Tuesday incident forced many residents out of Madagali, including one Ruth Gauje, who fled to a relative in the state capital, Yola.

Ruth, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday evening, said at least, one person died in Shuwa where she ran from.

“They killed Friday, a popular young man in our place,” she said.

She also said a community leader in Madagali identified as Bulama and several other people died in the town.

Some other sources, however, said most of the invading insurgents were killed, unlike when they first launched attack on the Madagali LGA on February 4 and 11.

Civilian and military sources in Madagali insisted that the soldiers overpowered the insurgents after some exchanges of gunfire, killing an unspecified number and seizing their weapons as well as vehicles.

“Sounds of gunshots and heavy blasts rented the air as the battle between the soldiers and Boko Haram insurgents reigned, forcing the insurgents out into surrounding mountains and bushes,” another source said.

Meanwhile, the Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Othman Abubakar, attested to the killing and repelling of the Boko Haram insurgents but did not confirm deaths on the side of the residents.

He said a combined team of security personnel succeeded in decimating the Boko Haram insurgents, but that there was no indication of the death of any community person in the information before him.