Panic As Boko Haram Targets Maiduguri
by ISE-OLUWA IGE, INUSA NDAHI AND UBONG UKPONG
on Sep 4, 2014
National Mirror, Nigeria
Residents of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, are now living in fear of possible attack by Boko Haram, following successes recorded by the insurgents in recent weeks.
The military has already imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Maiduguri in response to the planned attack just as the state Governor Kashim Shettima hurried home from a trip abroad to tackle the situation.
The sect had on Tuesday seized Bama, the second largest town in the state, after fierce fighting with the military and just yesterday, Banki, another border town fell into their hands.
Boko Haram has its origin in Maiduguri before the sect was flushed out by soldiers and citizen-volunteers in 2013 and they have never hidden their intention to retake the city.
The fall of Bama, which is just 70 kilometres from the state capital has heightened fears that the insurgents can launch their bid to seize the city anytime soon, sources told our correspondent.
Reports said the insurgents have been killing adult male residents of the town in a forced recruitment drive.
Our correspondent learnt that the takeover of Bama was a prelude to the planned attack on Maiduguri.
There was initial report that the insurgents had captured the army base in Bama.
Security sources, however, hinted yesterday that the military had reversed the trend following air strikes that destroyed hardware brought in by the insurgents from Gwoza as well as hardware at the Bama military base to deny terrorists access to government’s weapons.
The insurgents were said to have particularly targeted arms at the base to boost resources needed to launch a massive attack on Maiduguri.
Although, they was no apprehension or tension noticed in Maiduguri following the rumoured plan attack, security agencies are more prepared to ensure the protection of lives and property of citizenry.
Residents of Maiduguri are going about their normal businesses, but our correspondent observed that many vehicles loaded with luggage and their owners mostly southerners have been moving out of the city since Tuesday.
The city is also playing host to thousands of refugees from Bama.
Our correspondent learnt that the terrorists in convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles attacked the border town of Banki at about 9p.m on Tuesday and shot dead unconfirmed number of residents, while others fled to Cameroon for safety.
According to a resident, Ibrahim Musa in a telephone interview from Camerounian border village yesterday, the Nigerian Custom Services, NCS, Nigerian Immigration Services, NIS, military and police posts at Banki have been deserted following the attack.
“As members of the security agencies in this border town fled by noon Tuesday, we had to flee too; because the insurgents have taken over all the major military and security posts at the border with Cameroun.
“Six hours after we reached this border village in Cameroun, one of our neighbours that remained in Banki called me and said the gunmen have taken over the town by preaching and hoisting their black and white flags at the market square and central mosque, near the police outpost,” Musa said.
Only two weeks ago, about 480 troops of the Nigerian military fighting against the insurgents at Gamboru Ngala fled into Cameroun following fierce fighting, which the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, said it was “tactical maneouver.”
He added that about 75 per cent of the affected residents including security operatives fled to the Cameroonian village of Amchide for safety.
He said that the insurgents were asking the youths in Banki not to panic and instead join them to fight both Camerounian and Nigerian soldiers in the border areas.
Sources also told our correspondent that the insurgents are on a “continuous rampage,” attacking border towns and villages with Chad and Cameroon to conscript more members into the sect.
“The insurgents don’t stay in one town or village after attacks, but continue to move from one settlement to another in search of more members to join them,” said the source yesterday.
No fewer than 250 Nigerian soldiers were said to have fled across the border to Cameroun after the Banki attack, the second such retreat in two weeks.
Sources said the soldiers were being repatriated to Mubi, in Adamawa State, following debriefing by Cameroon.
Also yesterday, Nigerian troops at Mafa in Borno State, were said to have deserted the town without any fight or attack from Boko Haram and returned to Maiduguri’s Maimalari barracks.
However, the Director of Defence Information, DDI, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade, could not react to the story after several efforts by our correspondent.
He however confirmed yesterday, in a television programme, that the military had taken delivery of a consignment of arms imported to strengthen the army and had since dispatched them to boost the fighting spirit and power of troops in the North East. In a related development, the Senator, representing Borno Central at the National Assembly, Ahmed Zannah yesterday raised the alarm that the insurgents have been killing male adults, following the takeover of Bama on Tuesday.
Zannah, who is from Bama also challenged both the Borno state government and military authority to take the media to the town to cross check claims that the town has not been captured by the insurgents.
The senator in a telephone chat on Wednesday afternoon with our correspondent said: “As I am speaking to you, Bama has been captured and the insurgents are on the prowling for any male, killing at will.
“Everyone is a target as long as you are male but for now women and children are being sparred.
Zannah said he lost two nephews to the insurgents.
He said: “They entered my brother’s house in Bama and shot his two sons they met at the residence.
“Both the military and Borno State government are lying to Nigerians, and to prove that I am the one misinforming the public they should take journalists to the town to cross check the facts.”
It would be recalled that after Zannah on Tuesday morning granted an interview that Bama has been captured by the terrorist group.
But the Borno State Government and the youth vigilante group swiftly came out to call his claim a lie and politically motivated.
Following the renewed attacks, Governor Kashim Shettima has abruptly cut short his trip to Sudan and the United Kingdom.
The governor on his return held crucial meetings in Abuja in connection with happenings in Bama and rest of the state, according to a statement by his media associate, Isa Gusau.
Gusau said that the governor has approved the formation and release of funds to a committee set up to coordinate the distribution of relief and management of victims.
“Shettima returned mainly to provide needed leadership, be with his people, build public confidence, coordinate relief for victims, step up co-funding and psychological support for military,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, former Governor of the state, Ali Modu- Sherrif yesterday denied the allegation of sponsoring the activities of Boko Haram.
Modu-Sherif, who said he was embarrassed by the allegation, said that his political enemies were at work even as he faulted the interview granted a television station, Arise by an Australian Dr Stephen Davis who hired by the Federal Government to negotiate the release of the abducted Chibok girls, naming him and the former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Azubuike Ihejirika as major sponsors of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Sherrif, who addressed a press conference in Abuja threatened to sue Davis, if at all he exists over the allegations credited to him.
He also said that he was disappointed with All Progressive Congress Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun, whom he claimed was mounting pressure on the Federal Government to drag him before the ICC because he refused to stay back in the despite numerous pleas.
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| Maiduguri bombing in July 2014. |
on Sep 4, 2014
National Mirror, Nigeria
Residents of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, are now living in fear of possible attack by Boko Haram, following successes recorded by the insurgents in recent weeks.
The military has already imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Maiduguri in response to the planned attack just as the state Governor Kashim Shettima hurried home from a trip abroad to tackle the situation.
The sect had on Tuesday seized Bama, the second largest town in the state, after fierce fighting with the military and just yesterday, Banki, another border town fell into their hands.
Boko Haram has its origin in Maiduguri before the sect was flushed out by soldiers and citizen-volunteers in 2013 and they have never hidden their intention to retake the city.
The fall of Bama, which is just 70 kilometres from the state capital has heightened fears that the insurgents can launch their bid to seize the city anytime soon, sources told our correspondent.
Reports said the insurgents have been killing adult male residents of the town in a forced recruitment drive.
Our correspondent learnt that the takeover of Bama was a prelude to the planned attack on Maiduguri.
There was initial report that the insurgents had captured the army base in Bama.
Security sources, however, hinted yesterday that the military had reversed the trend following air strikes that destroyed hardware brought in by the insurgents from Gwoza as well as hardware at the Bama military base to deny terrorists access to government’s weapons.
The insurgents were said to have particularly targeted arms at the base to boost resources needed to launch a massive attack on Maiduguri.
Although, they was no apprehension or tension noticed in Maiduguri following the rumoured plan attack, security agencies are more prepared to ensure the protection of lives and property of citizenry.
Residents of Maiduguri are going about their normal businesses, but our correspondent observed that many vehicles loaded with luggage and their owners mostly southerners have been moving out of the city since Tuesday.
The city is also playing host to thousands of refugees from Bama.
Our correspondent learnt that the terrorists in convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles attacked the border town of Banki at about 9p.m on Tuesday and shot dead unconfirmed number of residents, while others fled to Cameroon for safety.
According to a resident, Ibrahim Musa in a telephone interview from Camerounian border village yesterday, the Nigerian Custom Services, NCS, Nigerian Immigration Services, NIS, military and police posts at Banki have been deserted following the attack.
“As members of the security agencies in this border town fled by noon Tuesday, we had to flee too; because the insurgents have taken over all the major military and security posts at the border with Cameroun.
“Six hours after we reached this border village in Cameroun, one of our neighbours that remained in Banki called me and said the gunmen have taken over the town by preaching and hoisting their black and white flags at the market square and central mosque, near the police outpost,” Musa said.
Only two weeks ago, about 480 troops of the Nigerian military fighting against the insurgents at Gamboru Ngala fled into Cameroun following fierce fighting, which the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, said it was “tactical maneouver.”
He added that about 75 per cent of the affected residents including security operatives fled to the Cameroonian village of Amchide for safety.
He said that the insurgents were asking the youths in Banki not to panic and instead join them to fight both Camerounian and Nigerian soldiers in the border areas.
Sources also told our correspondent that the insurgents are on a “continuous rampage,” attacking border towns and villages with Chad and Cameroon to conscript more members into the sect.
“The insurgents don’t stay in one town or village after attacks, but continue to move from one settlement to another in search of more members to join them,” said the source yesterday.
No fewer than 250 Nigerian soldiers were said to have fled across the border to Cameroun after the Banki attack, the second such retreat in two weeks.
Sources said the soldiers were being repatriated to Mubi, in Adamawa State, following debriefing by Cameroon.
Also yesterday, Nigerian troops at Mafa in Borno State, were said to have deserted the town without any fight or attack from Boko Haram and returned to Maiduguri’s Maimalari barracks.
However, the Director of Defence Information, DDI, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade, could not react to the story after several efforts by our correspondent.
He however confirmed yesterday, in a television programme, that the military had taken delivery of a consignment of arms imported to strengthen the army and had since dispatched them to boost the fighting spirit and power of troops in the North East. In a related development, the Senator, representing Borno Central at the National Assembly, Ahmed Zannah yesterday raised the alarm that the insurgents have been killing male adults, following the takeover of Bama on Tuesday.
Zannah, who is from Bama also challenged both the Borno state government and military authority to take the media to the town to cross check claims that the town has not been captured by the insurgents.
The senator in a telephone chat on Wednesday afternoon with our correspondent said: “As I am speaking to you, Bama has been captured and the insurgents are on the prowling for any male, killing at will.
“Everyone is a target as long as you are male but for now women and children are being sparred.
Zannah said he lost two nephews to the insurgents.
He said: “They entered my brother’s house in Bama and shot his two sons they met at the residence.
“Both the military and Borno State government are lying to Nigerians, and to prove that I am the one misinforming the public they should take journalists to the town to cross check the facts.”
It would be recalled that after Zannah on Tuesday morning granted an interview that Bama has been captured by the terrorist group.
But the Borno State Government and the youth vigilante group swiftly came out to call his claim a lie and politically motivated.
Following the renewed attacks, Governor Kashim Shettima has abruptly cut short his trip to Sudan and the United Kingdom.
The governor on his return held crucial meetings in Abuja in connection with happenings in Bama and rest of the state, according to a statement by his media associate, Isa Gusau.
Gusau said that the governor has approved the formation and release of funds to a committee set up to coordinate the distribution of relief and management of victims.
“Shettima returned mainly to provide needed leadership, be with his people, build public confidence, coordinate relief for victims, step up co-funding and psychological support for military,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, former Governor of the state, Ali Modu- Sherrif yesterday denied the allegation of sponsoring the activities of Boko Haram.
Modu-Sherif, who said he was embarrassed by the allegation, said that his political enemies were at work even as he faulted the interview granted a television station, Arise by an Australian Dr Stephen Davis who hired by the Federal Government to negotiate the release of the abducted Chibok girls, naming him and the former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Azubuike Ihejirika as major sponsors of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Sherrif, who addressed a press conference in Abuja threatened to sue Davis, if at all he exists over the allegations credited to him.
He also said that he was disappointed with All Progressive Congress Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun, whom he claimed was mounting pressure on the Federal Government to drag him before the ICC because he refused to stay back in the despite numerous pleas.
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