No fewer than 18 people including members of youth vigilances group were on Sunday killed and scores of others injured in Benisheik, Borno State
in a coordinated attack by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
Survivors, who spoke to newsmen from their hospital beds,
recounted how the insurgents stormed Benisheik, headquarters, of Kaga
Local Government, in the wee hours. They said the insurgents targeted
the youth volunteers popularly called Civilian JTF, who had been
conducting surveillance and security checks in the area.
Sources said the insurgents disguised as members of the Civilian JTF
to infiltrate the youth vigilantes, unknown to the youths that they were
Boko Haram. “Boko Haram with sophisticated arms, opened fire on us
killing 12 of our members. We were able to kill five of them and took
possession of their four AK 47,” Zannah Fannami, one of the wounded
Civilian JTF members said on his hospital bed. He said the insurgents
stormed the town at about 12:30a.m yesterday.
Another member of the vigilance group, Muhammed Abuwar, who also
sustained injury on his arm and leg, said security forces had agreed to
watch and lay ambush against Boko Haram, but lamented that the army
troops could not come to their rescue while the attack lasted.
Spokesman of the newly created Nigeria Army 7 Division, Maiduguri,
Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said information available to the Division revealed
that some suspected members of the Boko Haram sect, who disguised as
members of the youth vigilance group attacked Benisheikh in Kaga Local
Government Area at about 12:30 am yesterday. He, however, said six of
the youth vigilance group were killed in an ensuing confrontation with
the sect.
“Some elements of 21 Brigade troop have been drafted to the area and
the attack had been repelled. Troops were still combing the area in
search for fleeing terrorists,” he said. Musa however, promised to
furnish journalists with further details as more facts emerge on the
incident.
Commenting on the blocking of the road by some aggrieved youths in
Benisheik, he explained that the army had cleared the road which is a
major highway that links Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, with
Maiduguri, capital of Borno State. He said normalcy had returned to the
area.
Benisheik is located west of Maiduguri and about 72 kilometers away
from the capital city. It has also witnessed similar attacks by the
insurgents in the past. The youth vigilantes had in recent time, mounted
heavy surveillance and checks in the town as motorists and commercial
vehicles were usually compelled to disembark for routine checks.
Culled from The Sun
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