The Disturbing trend of human carnage in Borno - 180 killed in 2 weeks
By Abdul-Kareem Haruna Umar
At least about 180 people have been killed in the last two weeks within the northeast Nigeria's state of Borno.
Gunmen believed to be Boko Haram have been on the prowl, maiming, slaughtering, shooting and burning houses of hapless, unprotected and very innocent villagers.
The motive for killing, which occur on every single day of the week, has been nothing but sheer quest to undermine an already weak security system and raw vengeance on villagers who tried to brave the storm by forming local vigilante of youth groups to protect their towns, villages and hamlets.
( Displaced Villagers of Alau community being camped near Maidururi.
Since after the January 14th deadly bomb blast that killed 43 persons in a densely commercial area of Maiduguri, the birth place of the Boko Haram insurgency, villages and farming communities around the disturbed city have become epicentre of slaughter.
For now, about 35 villages, located not more than 40km away from the state capital have been sacked, as Boko Haram gunmen, who come riding or motorcycles, four-wheel drived trucks, to overrun them, loot their food items, kill whoever stands on their path and leave such community up in flames.
According to the accounts of most internally displaced locals, some of who are now being camped at the out skirts of Maiduguri, most of the attacks that often occur at night, or late in the evening do happen without the knowledge of the armed security personnels.
"The soldiers and the police will arrive hours after the gunmen had left", a villager lamented. We normally have security operatives in the suburban towns like the local government headquaters; isolated villages and communities in the hinterland, are alway vulnerable. We have no single military protection. When our children pick sticks and want to protect us like the Civilian-JTF do in the cities, the Boko Haram will descend on us killing our children and sacking our villages. Of what use is a Civilian- JTF without a military backing? It is suicide; but we cannot just continue sleeping without doing some thing to defend us".
Nigeria's new Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alexender Sabundu Badeh, had pegged April this year as the month Boko Haram terrorism would come to a final end, as he takes charge of the country security.
The CDS pronouncement, though heart worming, has left very many people especially the locals who are now the primary targets of the Boko Haram, wallowing in the sea of doubts, as to whether, the top soldiers words really reflects the increasing carnage that they suffer.
For now, about 35 villages, located not more than 40km away from the state capital have been sacked, as Boko Haram gunmen, who come riding or motorcycles, four-wheel drived trucks, to overrun them, loot their food items, kill whoever stands on their path and leave such community up in flames.
According to the accounts of most internally displaced locals, some of who are now being camped at the out skirts of Maiduguri, most of the attacks that often occur at night, or late in the evening do happen without the knowledge of the armed security personnels.
"The soldiers and the police will arrive hours after the gunmen had left", a villager lamented. We normally have security operatives in the suburban towns like the local government headquaters; isolated villages and communities in the hinterland, are alway vulnerable. We have no single military protection. When our children pick sticks and want to protect us like the Civilian-JTF do in the cities, the Boko Haram will descend on us killing our children and sacking our villages. Of what use is a Civilian- JTF without a military backing? It is suicide; but we cannot just continue sleeping without doing some thing to defend us".
Nigeria's new Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alexender Sabundu Badeh, had pegged April this year as the month Boko Haram terrorism would come to a final end, as he takes charge of the country security.
The CDS pronouncement, though heart worming, has left very many people especially the locals who are now the primary targets of the Boko Haram, wallowing in the sea of doubts, as to whether, the top soldiers words really reflects the increasing carnage that they suffer.
(Borno govenor, Kashim Shettima, sympathising with one of the injured victims of Boko Haram recent attacks)
Two weeks Timeline on Boko Haram's massacre :-On the 12 of January eight persons were killed by Boko Haram in the christian dominated area of Gwoza local government called Hambagda and Jaji wards where at least 10 churches were also burnt to ashes. Eyewitnesses in the area said, the attacked communities include; "Arbako, Barawa, Chikide, Ngoshe, Pulka, Kirawa, Kwatara, Hirdembeh, Chinene and Kundeh" all in in Gwoza Local Government Area.
Still on the same 12th January, gunmen attacked Ladi-Kayamla village market, 50km West of Maiduguri and shot death five persons injuring several others.
On the 14th January, a bomb went off in the city of Maiduguri, 43 were killed and several others seriously injured.
Still on 14th, five people were killed in Tuba village of Mafa local government of Borno state when Boko Haram attacked. Tuba is not more than 30km away from Maiduguri.
On the 15th January, six security operatives (two soldiers and four policemen) died during an attack by Boko Haram in Banki village near the Nigeria-Cameroon borders, where scores of civilians were also reportedly killed. But dead actual dead toll on civilians side, not disclosed to press.
On the 19th January, report were made of separate attacks that claimed 15 lives in villages of Mobbar local government area near the Nigeria-Niger Republic borders.
On the 18th January, 19 vegetable farmers were massacred by Boko Haram gunmen in in various villages around Alau general area located some 6km away from Maiduguri the state capital.
On the 20th of January, 2014 gunmen killed 18 villagers after attacking several villages of Njaba, Mude, Kwajiri and Kaya villages in Konduga local govenment of Borno state
21st January, 2014, two secondary school teachers were attacked by gunmen in Gamboru-Ngala local government's village called Wugo; one survived, the other died.
January 26th, 2014 witnessed the highest so far this year when gunmen attacked Kawuri village of Konduga local government, killing at least 52 persons and torching well over 300 houses in a late afternoon attack.
These are reported attacks, there are still many other pockets of attacks that had escaped the media which may not have been reported.
But given the above timeline it is estimated that in January alone, at least180 persons have been killed by Boko Haram within just two weeks in Borno state.
These trend of a sustained killing of innocent persons in villages has really called for a serious concern by the local who believes that the bloodshed could be more, if not curtailed.
1 comment:
God save the unprotected ones
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