Fear and panic gripped residents of Garu on Monday morning after gunmen launched a deadly daylight attack, killing at least four people and injuring several others in what authorities have described as a brazen and shocking assault.
The incident, which occurred around 10 a.m., sent waves of terror across the township as gunfire echoed around the district office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and nearby areas. Residents were seen fleeing for safety as chaos erupted in the otherwise quiet town.
According to eyewitnesses, four armed men on two motorbikes stormed the NHIA office and opened fire indiscriminately. Two of the attackers reportedly wore smocks and helmets, while the other two concealed their faces with masks.
Two people were shot dead on the spot, one believed to be a staff member of the NHIA office, killed inside the building, and another man who was shot outside the premises.
“Around 10 a.m. thereabout, we heard gunshots. Initially, we thought it was coming from the rural bank area, but later we found out that the attackers had gone to the health insurance office. Two people were shot, one inside and another outside the office,” recounted Edward Ndebugri, a former Presiding Member of the Garu District Assembly and now Assembly Member for Kugri said.
The gunmen reportedly extended their assault beyond the NHIA premises, targeting bystanders, fleeing residents, and schoolchildren in the vicinity. Among those killed were a headteacher and a local chief.
“There is a public school close to the health insurance office, and when the shooting started, the teachers and pupils began running helter-skelter. The gunmen chased them, and when one of the teachers fell, they shot him dead,” Mr. Ndebugri added.
The slain teacher was later identified as the headteacher of Garu G/A Primary School. Another victim, a local chief, was reportedly shot while on his way to the market.
The attackers, according to eyewitnesses, did not steal anything from the NHIA office, but seized a motorbike from one of their victims before fleeing.
After the shooting, the gunmen were seen escaping through the Garu Presbyterian Hospital area, passing by the Garu Catholic Junior High School, and speeding off toward the Kugri/Songo road. Their identities and current whereabouts remain unknown.
By 2 p.m., security in the area had been tightened, with heavily armed police and military personnel deployed to patrol key locations, including the NHIA District Office and the Presbyterian Hospital.
The incident has left residents traumatized, with many calling on the government to intensify security operations in the Garu area, which has experienced intermittent violence and unrest in recent months.