Buni Yadi town is about 70 km from Damaturu, the state capital.
Boko Haram insurgents took over the town in July and hoisted their flag at the emir’s palace in August this year. This development had forced thousands of residents to flee the area to various save locations within and outside Yobe State.
A resident, who escaped to Bajoga shortly after the security forces launched their offensive in the area, told our correspondent that he saw hundreds of soldiers in a convoy of Toyota Hilux vans and amoured personnel carriers firing into the Buni Yadi General Hospital, where the militants were camping.
“They fired at the General Hospital where the insurgents are camping, some of them were killed others captured while some escaped,” he said, adding that the town was sealed by the soldiers and a curfew was imposed on the residents. “I ran into the bush and succeeded in fleeing to Bajoga in Gombe state,” another resident said.
Meanwhile, the curfew imposed on the state on Thursday was lifted yesterday. It was initially meant to last till Monday. An official announcement on television had said that restriction of human and vehicular movement was imposed to provide maximum security in the state during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.