No fewer than100 people were at the weekend killed in separate terrorist attacks in Baga and Izge villages of Kukawa and Gwoza Local Government Areas of Borno State.
Several others also sustained gunshot injuries and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by suspected members of Boko Haram Islamic sect.
Within the last one week, investigation showed that the Boko Haram terrorists had killed over 200 people, inflicted severe injuries to residents and damaged property worth billions of naira in Konduga, Gwoza and Kukawa council areas of the state.
This is even as Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima admitted that “the terrorists are much more motivated than the security
operatives”.
Our correspondent gathered that the attack in Baga village bordering Chad Republic, which took place on Friday evening claimed the lives of 10 people. The massacre at Izge also bordering Cameroun Republic on Sunday morning also left over 90 people dead.
At the Baga incident, according to sources, the gunmen, numbering over 20 invaded the village about 7p.m. with sophisticated weapons including Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, petrol bombs and wrecked havoc on citizens before they fled without being arrested.
Another source said that over 1,000 residents that survived the Baga village attack had relocated to neighbouring villages of Chad Republic.
Izge Village, located west of Gwoza council area, which is about 200 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital, has in the past couple of days witnessed deadly attacks by suspected terrorists.
The terorsits ambushed some security operatives at one check point, killing nine soldiers the spot.
However, the Sunday fresh attack, according to survivors, the gunmen invaded the village at about 2a.m. when they were still asleep and opened fire with the detonation of IEDs and petrol bombs targeting at households.
The incident led to the killing of over 90 people apart from the burning of scores of houses, shops and vehicles.
A resident, Mallam Ali Yakubu, said the gunmen succeeded in killing several people after dislodging some security operatives in the area.
He added that the gunmen, numbering over 100, came with several vehicles and motorcycles. Some of them wore military camouflage, chanting Allahu Akbar (God is Great) and shot anyone they sighted before displacing residents after setting many houses and business centres ablaze.
“As I am talking to you now, all the dead bodies of the victims are still laying on the streets as we could not get the opportunity of burying them because of fear that the terrorists are still around the nearby bushes of Izge to see if people will carry the dead bodies to the grave yards for burial, so that they can ambush all of us, although the security operatives have been alerted on the development, we are yet to see any of them deployed to the area.
“I thank God for sparing my life yesterday because I thought my own days in this world are over when we started hearing the sound of gunshots and explosions all over Izge in the night.
“But as God will have mercy on me and my people, we ran into the bush without being hurt by the insurgents. When we came back to the village about 8: 25a.m., we met our house completely burnt down by the insurgents.”
When contacted on the phone, the Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr. Lawal Tanko, confirmed the incidents.
He said: “Yes, there were separate attacks in Baga Village, located on an island of the Lake Chad where about nine people were killed on Friday, while the Sunday morning terrorists’ attack in Izge village of Gwoza Local Government Area led to the death of many innocent civilians.
“I have already directed my Divisional Police Officer in-charge of the area to the scene and when he fed me back with details I will let you know, but as at now, I don’t have details on the number of casualties,” Tanko said.
Meanwhile, a Jos-based Muslim group operating under the aegis of Muslim Youths for Justice, MYJ, yesterday expressed concern over the continued detention of Dr. Mohammed Nazeef Yunus, the Kogi State University lecturer currently facing trial for alleged terrorist activities before a Federal High court in Abuja.
The group in a statement signed by its President, Ustaz Usman Muhammad Abdullah, and Secretary, Shehu Muhammad, and made available to journalists in Jos yesterday said it was worried that the health of the Islamic scholar was deteriorating due to his continuous detention and lack of proper medication.
The statement added: “We are disturbed that even before Dr. Yunus was remanded in Kuje prison on the order of the High court as at the last adjournment, his health condition suffered serious setback due to his none accessibility to medication which he was on before his arrest. We are also worried that his long detention in the deadly dusky cell of the Department of State Service (DSS), has caused a new illness to his sight.”
It further stated that the charges of alleged terrorism that was filled by the office of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, was done in other to ensure that the cleric remains in detention.
While appreciating the leadership and concern of the President General of the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar of Sokoto, the group called on his intervention the statement added.
