The terrorists abducted a family of five.
Gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram on Thursday killed a top aide of the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, in an attack along Maiduguri-Biu Road that left eight others dead, witnesses said.
The gunmen, who attacked at Bulabulin-Ngabura Village, 50km from Maiduguri, also abducted a family of five (husband, wife and three children) who were on their way to Biu.
A cab driver plying Biu and Maiduguri route confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES in Maiduguri that the attack took place at about 11 a.m. when the gunmen in their dozens took over the highway and operated for hours before they left the scene.
“We could not move along the highway for several hours because of the attack. And by the time we were told the road was safe to continue our journey, we saw corpses of nine persons including that of an adviser in the Borno State government, Muhammed Sani, who is popularly known as ‘A. Bange’,” said the driver who spoke under anonymity.
“We also saw the Peugeot 406 vehicle of the man who was kidnapped along with his wife and three children. We had to get help to tow the vehicle to Biu. I saw the passport photograph of the abducted man and people said he hails from Miringa town of Biu local government,” said the cab driver.
Sources in Government House, Maiduguri, confirmed the death of ‘A.Bange’, who was last seen at the Government House few hours before he embarked on the Thursday journey with two others. The state government is yet to react to the killing.
The spokesperson of the Joint Task Force, JTF, Sagir Musa, when contacted by journalists at the JTF headquarters on Friday, did not react to the killing of A. Bange, but said that soldiers under the newly formed military division had gunned down at least 50 Boko Haram suspects in a counter attack that took place in Damboa and Gajiram Villages where 15 persons were killed on Wednesday.
Mr. Musa said, “Troops of Five Brigade of Seven Division Nigerian Army in Monguno have effectively repelled Boko Haram terrorists’ attacks on Gajiram and Bubulin Ngaura communities in Nganzai and Konduga local government areas of Borno State.
“Troops pursued the terrorists to their camps and destroyed them with air support as many (as) 50 terrorists were killed in the shootout. Subsequently, the communities (Gajiram and Ngaura) have been rescued from the fangs of Boko Haram terrorists. This information have been corroborated by many eyewitness accounts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejierika, Friday commended the youth vigilante, commonly called Civilian JTF, currently aiding the government in arresting suspected terrorists in Borno
“I wish to commend the youth volunteers for their support in fighting the insurgency. I also wish to commend the Shehu of Borno and the entire people for their support and assistance,” Mr. Ihejierika said.
Mr. Ihejierika who was in Maiduguri to inspect the deployment of troops and equipment to the newly established 7th Division of Nigerian Army headquarters in Maiduguri, the birth place of the Boko Haram insurgency, said he was satisfied with the logistics so far deployed.
“I am impressed with the logistics and everything and I am assuring that Army Headquarters and the Defence Headquarters is appreciative of their work as it had been with the JTF.
“I am very impressed with the conduct of the troops because they had adhered to the rules of engagement, these soldiers have really done us proud,” he said.
Since June this year, youth vigilante, armed with clubs and sticks and other rudimentary weapons, have been helping soldiers to arrest suspected Boko Haram members. More than 600 of the suspected terrorists are believed to have either been killed or arrested through the efforts of the Civilian-JTF.
However, this has caused the terrorists to turn their guns of the vigilantes, members of their families and communities. At least 60 of the vigilantes have been killed by avenging Boko Haram members.
Source: Premium Times
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