They came, they fired shots into the air, they terrified the locals – and then they left.
In a seemingly fruitless attack on Monday night, extremists – suspected of being members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) – attacked Abori, an internally displaced persons’ camp 3km from Damboa.
Bulama Bunu, an internally displaced man who lives in the camp, told RNI reporter Fanna Usman that the insurgents came from the northern part of the Damboa Local Government Area and that they arrived on motorcycles and were carrying firearms.
“They arrived on motorcycles and started shooting sporadically into the air. There were no soldiers on the scene. And the civilian joint task force members who tried to fight off the attackers were overpowered and fled on foot from the extremists,” Bunu said.
He said no one died and no internally displaced persons were injured or wounded.
“But three civilians, who work in the local clinic, were wounded during the sporadic shots and were rushed to hospital.”
He said the gunmen burnt down some awnings at the entrance of the camp, but that was the only damage caused.
“The insurgents did not kill anyone and did not take anything. They burnt down the awnings at the entrance of the camp but they did not even try to destroy or burn down tents and other structures. There were no soldiers at the scene and the civilian joint task force members who came to our aid were overpowered by the insurgents and they ran into the bush to hide.”
Bunu said: “We were left helpless with no one to protect us. The insurgents threatened us but they did not attack us. They just kept shooting sporadically. We didn’t try to challenge them, which is probably why they did not shoot or injure us. Unfortunately, the three clinic workers were wounded by shots fired into the air by the insurgents. They were taken to hospital for treatment. ”
Hauwa Mustapha, a woman who lives in the camp, later told RNI that when the insurgents arrived, quite a few of the internally displaced persons had fled the camp, fearing for their lives.
“They were terrified and thought they might be killed or abducted so they ran away into nearby bush to hide. But when the insurgents left, a few started to return to the camp. Most have returned now and there is peace in the camp.”
Hamsatu Adam, another internally displaced woman, confirmed that the attack occurred and that no one in the camp was killed, injured or wounded.
“I don’t know why they always attack our camp. We pray to the Almighty Allah to protect us. We are scared of the insurgents. We don’t know why they attack us. We live in peace in the camp. We pray every day that the insurgents will stop attacking us.”
An adviser to Zanna Lawan Maina, a traditional ruler and head of the district of the Damboa, posted on the ruler’s Facebook page.
He said the extremists had arrived at Abori Camp on 20 motorcycles, but vigilantes and hunters had fought bravely to repel them.
“Damboa has been attacked 29 times, yet it survives,” he said.
The last attack on Abori Camp was on June 20 and was far more scary. Extremists, also thought to be ISWAP members, abducted 10 women and children. It is not known if they survived.