As Nigerians nationwide celebrated the country’s 55th independence anniversary, residents of three communities in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State were thrown into mourning on Thursday, when suspected members of the Boko Haram terror sect attacked their villages, killing 11 persons in the process.
An eyewitness, who confirmed the attack, said the insurgents in their hundreds stormed Bitiku, Kubu and Kirchinga villages of Madagali in the wee hours of yesterday, slaughtered 11 persons and destroyed several buildings.
The eyewitness revealed that the insurgents took the villagers unawares when they stormed the communities and started shooting sporadically at the residents.
Several people had to scamper into a nearby bush for safety, he said.
“The insurgents sneaked into the villages and started killing people and burnt houses almost at the same time without no justification,” he added.
A resident of Bitiku village, who identified himself as Mallam Adamu, said they were about to retire for the night when the insurgents struck in his village, adding that despite the vigilante groups manning the area, they did not know when the insurgents sneaked into Bitiku.
The immediate past Chairman of Madagali, Maina Ularamu, confirmed the attacks and called for deployment of troops to the villages.
“The insurgents attacked a group of traders returning from Gulak market and killed four of them before proceeding to Kirchinga where they slaughtered seven persons including three women,” he said.
He stressed the need for the military to station troops in villages that had witnessed frequent attacks in recent times, with a view to flushing out remnants of the insurgents.
He also appealed to the federal government for restoration of government structures and social services in the recaptured territories, saying residents were suffering from lack of hospitals, bridges and other basic amenities.
Also, the member representing Michika/Madagali Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Adamu Kamale, has blamed the federal government for the wanton destruction of lives and properties.
Kamale accused the government of paying lip service to the security of the people in the area.
He noted that while other parts of Nigeria were in a celebratory mood as they marked the country’s independence, his people were mourning the wanton massacre of their loved ones.
“We need more security personnel, as our villages share borders with Sambisa forest,” the lawmaker said.
“The federal government has been doing nothing in the past four months to secure our people, as security is degenerating by the day. The security forces are compounding our predicament, because what they are saying in the pages of newspapers is contrary to what is happening on the ground,” Kamale alleged.
However, the military yesterday continued with its string of claims on its successes against Boko Haram.
The Nigerian Army, in a statement by its spokesman, Col. Kukasheka Usman, said troops yesterday afternoon, following a tip-off by well-meaning citizens, discovered and raided yet another Boko Haram fuel dump at Abbaganaram in Maiduguri city, Borno State.
During the operation, one person, Musa Abba, was arrested and the following items were discovered and confiscated: eleven drums of diesel, one empty drum, 192 jerry cans – out of which 70 were loaded with diesel, petrol and kerosene – a Toyota bus and one Peugeot car.
Others items recovered included a motorcycle and an air conditioner.
Usman said the “fuel depot was used to stockpile petroleum products and lubricants by Boko Haram terrorists and their equally heartless collaborators for onward movement to the terrorists’ camps in Sambisa forest”.
“Over time we have been exhorting the public especially residents of the north eastern part of the country, which has been mostly affected by the acts of the Boko Haram terrorists, to cooperate fully with the military and the security agencies.
“It is gratifying to note that such calls are being heeded by an overwhelming majority of people as exemplified in the courageous and patriotic efforts of the good citizens who exposed this fuel dump in their midst.
“It is important that people should see the fight against the security menace of Boko Haram terrorism as a collective responsibility.
“The public is kindly requested to be more vigilant and assist with useful information that would assist in preventing Boko Haram terrorists from carrying out their nefarious acts against the society,” he said.
In another statement, the army spokesman said 80 Boko Haram terrorists surrendered en mass yesterday to Nigerian troops in Bama, Borno State.
The terrorists, among whom were commanders, suppliers and foot soldiers, confirmed that they had participated in several terrorists attacks especially on Bama town, informing the military that they surrendered as a result of the intense heat and continuous offensive action by troops, said Usman.
He called on other members of the sect to also surrender or face total annihilation, adding that the new name of the operation states “achievement of total peace is a must”.
