Less than 48 hours after the killing of 145 Nigerians by Boko Haram at Kukawa and Monguno Local Government Areas respectively, residents of Askira Uba, Biu and Hawul local governments have reported another attack in the area which resulted in the death of 54 persons, including a former council chairman, who returned to Askira/Uba barely a week ago.
Sunday Tribune learnt that on Saturday, some of the residents were killed on their farms, and others at home when the terrorists stormed the three local government areas.
It was gathered that 29 people were killed on Friday at Mussa village alone, when the terrorists attacked the village in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
Askira Uba is a border town between Borno and Adamawa states, while Mussa village is 36 kilometres away from the border
Manu Kansila, a resident of Mussa, said the attackers crossed a river near Yimradi Gwandam, another village in the area. “The terrorists were running away from assault by Nigerian troops. They had attacked many localities today before coming to our village.
“They came in broad daylight and opened fire on unsuspecting people. We are now preparing to recover more corpses from the bushes but so far, 29 people have been confirmed dead,” he added.
In another attack in the early hours of Friday, Boko Haram terrorists reportedly trailed about 13 of their “defecting” members and killed 11 of them in Miringa village in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
Sources said the “defecting” members were forcefully conscripted by the terror group several months ago. It was gathered that when they saw the opportunity, they fled a base in Gwargware village in nearby Yobe State and joined hundreds of internally displaced people taking refuge in Miringa.
Also, reports from Hawul Local Government Area indicated that the terrorists attacked travellers along Shaffa, Garkida near Zhur forest, killing 14 people.
In a related development, residents of Zabarmari ward of Jere Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday, urged President Buhari to take the war to the terrorists following Friday’s attack on the area, where seven people were reportedly killed and several others injured.
The residents, in a letter signed by their spokesman, Alhaji Yusuf Zabarmari, said Buhari had to be proactive, as Boko Haram had killed 370 people in the last three days, showing that it was strong and that Maiduguri was not safe.
“We have been telling the military that these insurgents are regrouping in Koshebe, just some seven kilometres away from Zabarmari, but the military refused to follow up and crush them in their hideouts. Buhari should change his strategy if the war against terrorism must be won,” the letter said.
In another development, a community leader, Bulama Mamuda had, while briefing the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, said both soldiers and the civilian JTF had tried very hard to protect the town but later ran out of ammunition, hence the attack on the part of the town, leading to the killing of seven persons, destruction of houses and shops, and injuries to many people.
He called on the state government to make sure that enough security was deployed, so that fleeing residents could return to their communities, as most of them had already returned to the IDP camps in Maiduguri.
Responding, Governor Kashim Shettima called on the fleeing residents to return to their houses, as more troops were being expected to protect them, adding that food items would be provided for both the military and the residents.
“We have here the General Officer Commanding the 7 Division, Nigeria Army. I will appeal to him to deploy more officers and men of the division to your town to make sure that the terrorists do not come back again,” Shettima said, while commending the gallantry of the military and the civilian JTF.
-Tribune
