Boko Haram invades Nigerian city of Gombe

Hundreds of armed Boko Haram
Takfiris have invaded the volatile
northeastern Nigerian city of Gombe,
calling for a boycott of the upcoming
general
elections.
Witnesses reported hearing explosions
and heavy gunfire on Saturday as the
Takfiri militants attempted to take over
the city for the first time.
The insurgents threw leaflets calling on
residents of Gombe to shun the
forthcoming presidential election
scheduled for the same day, but was
postponed until six weeks later.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral
Commission shifted elections from
February 14 to March 28, due to recent
mounting attacks by the Takfiri militants
in troubled northeastern Nigeria.
This is while Nigerian President Goodluck
Jonathan said there would be no further
postponement of Nigeria’s presidential
and parliamentary elections.
The president defended the extension,
saying security forces and law
enforcement agencies have extra time "to
clean up" the three worst-hit states,
namely Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa.
Boko Haram, whose name means
“Western education is forbidden,” controls
large parts of northeastern Nigeria and
says its goal is to overthrow the Nigerian
government.
It has claimed responsibility for a number
of deadly shooting attacks and bombings
in various parts of Nigeria since the
beginning of its operations in 2009, which
have left over 13,000 people dead and
1.5 million displaced.