TheCable

Suspected members of the Boko Haram sect struck at polling units in Dukku and Nafada local government area of Gombe state on Saturday, killing eight people, including Umar Aminu, a member of the state house of assembly.

A security source, who confirmed the attack to TheCable, said it happened around 10am, while the accreditation process was ongoing.

“The attack happened in Nafada local government but the military repelled them immediately,” he said.

“However, two people were killed and many deserted the polling units in the area. As I speak to you now, the area is under full military control but the people are scared of coming out again.”

Fwaji Atajiri, the police spokesperson in the state, could not be reached to confirm the report, as his line was out of reach.

In February, the insurgents released a video threatening to disrupt the election.

“This election will not hold even if we are dead,” Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect, had said.

“Allah will not leave you to proceed with these elections even after us, because you are saying that authority is from people to people, which means that people should rule each other, but Allah says that the authority is only to him, only his rule is the one which applies on this land.

“And finally we say that these elections that you are planning to do, will not happen in peace, even if that costs us our lives.”