Their fears reflect mounting national and international outrage over failures of Nigeria's government and military as 276 girls abducted by extremists from a northeastern school four weeks ago remain in captivity.
The town of Gamboru had been targeted by militants in four previous attacks in the past year. But the fury and destruction wrought by an attack May 5 was unprecedented: more than 300 people were killed, and at least 1,000 shops, dozens of homes and 314 trucks and cars were bombed and burned out, said the chairman of the local Gamboru-Ngala government, Bukar Mustapha.
The extremists also bombed the only bridge linking northeastern Borno to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon, leaving a mess of concrete and twisted girders that now allows only light traffic. Lines of trucks ferrying goods are stuck on either side of the bridge.
Residents said they warned the military beforehand that they saw suspicious camps in nearby scrubland and suspected fighters of the Boko Haram terrorist network were preparing to attack. They suggested some soldiers are colluding with the extremists - not the first time such allegations have been made.
The departing soldiers said they were being re-deployed along roads leading to Lake Chad to search for the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram, Bulama said, adding that he did not believe that.
President Jonathan said Sunday he was "very optimistic" that the girls will be rescued. But experts warn it will be difficult since the area where the students may be held is vast, ranging from dense forest to semi-arid desert.