How Boko Haram killed 63 in Borno – Survivors

How Boko Haram killed 63 in Borno – Survivors

In an interview with some Elders in the community, residents said the terrorists stormed the community on Friday night, first engaging the military before proceeding to attack civilians.

They attributed the attack to the inadequate presence of security personnel.

However, a security source countered this claim, insisting that sufficient troops had been deployed and had previously repelled several insurgent attacks on the area.

According to the source, during this assault, the insurgents launched three successive offensives before eventually dislodging troops from the military base.

“They carted away two gun trucks and three motorcycles belonging to the Civilian JTF, and burnt down the signal centre, CCTV cameras, and radio communication facilities,” he said.

He added that five soldiers and 58 civilians were killed in the attack. Among the civilians were labourers, drivers, and returnees living in the community.

Our correspondent also gathered that the assailants looted arms and ammunition abandoned by fleeing soldiers before setting the operational facilities ablaze.

One of the survivors, Hassan Kolo, said it was the military that first alerted them of the impending Boko Haram attack, just minutes before the insurgents arrived.

“The soldiers told us they were in a gun duel with the terrorists and advised us to enter our homes and lock the doors. We did exactly that.

“Unfortunately, the insurgents overpowered the military and stormed our homes. They went from house to house, shooting adult males on sight and setting our homes ablaze.

“They burnt down 24 houses. By luck, I ran into the bush and hid. That was how I survived,” he said.

Another survivor, Modu Abdul, said the Civilian JTF initially tried to stop the insurgents before they began their house-to-house killings.

“But not long after, the Civilian JTF ran out of ammunition and retreated. We were all left to our fate, and the insurgents had a field day, killing male occupants house by house.

“We only realised they had left after 11:00 p.m. No security operatives returned until morning,” he said.

Falmata Ali recounted how her husband and other men in her neighbourhood were killed when the insurgents raided the community.

“We were relocated here only recently, and the government assured us we would be safe. I cannot forget the fear in my husband’s eyes when they came for him. He was shot mercilessly.

“I screamed for help, but nobody came. My husband’s brutal murder will continue to haunt me,” she sobbed.

Another resident, who fled to Bama town about 46 km away, said they escaped alongside some security personnel who had also been overpowered by the terrorists.

“We arrived in Bama together, and then everyone went their separate ways. I was in a very pathetic situation,” he said.

He called on the federal government to deploy more security operatives in the area to curb the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

When contacted for a reaction to the reported lack of security in the community, the spokesman of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, said Darul Jamal was not under police jurisdiction.

He referred this reporter to the military, under whose control the community falls.

In recent months, several returnee communities have come under attack, including Marte, Izge, Ngoshe, Baga, Bita, Rann, Kirawa, and, most recently, Darul Jamal.

In the wake of these incidents, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has consistently encouraged victims to remain resilient while assuring them of improved security measures.

However, despite these promises, insurgents have continued to launch attacks, particularly in communities across Marte, Kala-Balge, Gwoza, Damboa, Chibok, and Kukawa local government areas.