Boko Haram steals dynamites from Ashaka Cement factory

Boko Haram fighters are set for more lethal attacks after carting away on Tuesday eight truck loads of dynamites from a cement factory near Gombe, the Gombe State capital.

The sect’s fighters also robbed a bank on Tuesday afterbattacking Nafada where they blew up a police station and the local secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Nafada is 150 kilometres from Gombe. Many people were killed by the attackers who rode into the town on more than 50
motorcycles.

Also shot dead was a cleric, Sheik Adamu Misira, whose home was invaded.
The invaded Ashaka Cement, a Lafarge-owned firm, set up in 1974, is the largest cement factory in Northern Nigeria, which
has about 500 direct employees – some of them expatriates.

The gunmen stormed the site at about 3pm, according to avworker, Amadu Wunti, who said they looted high explosives and demanded to be taken to where expatriate managers stay.

Wunti identified the expatriates as French nationals but the Lafarge group said it did not comment on its foreign staff for security reasons.

At the time, the plant was mostly empty, with staff having run to safety when news spread that the gunmen were coming after the raid in Nafada, which left at least 10 dead, according to residents.

Abubakar Galda and Awwal Ibrahim said five soldiers were killed at a checkpoint and four worshippers were shot dead at a mosque with the town’s most senior cleric.

Wunti’s account was supported by several others, including another staff member, who said: “They [the militants] pulled out after the raid. They did not hurt or kidnap anyone.

“But they took eight company vehicles and lots of dynamite used in quarry work. The attackers, which included young women, broke into the store and loaded dynamite into the vehicles and drove off.”