It has been a deadly week in Borno State with 18 citizens and one soldier being killed by suspected members of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS).

On Wednesday, August 9, the JAS, better known as Boko Haram, attacked residents on the Bama-Banki road near the town of Darul-Jamal in the Bama Local Government Area. Eighteen people were killed and an unknown number of passengers, including women and children, and three security operatives, were abducted.

On Saturday, August 12, insurgents, also thought to be members of JAS, attacked a military convoy that was travelling from Bama town to the state’s capital, Maiduguri. The convoy drove over improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that had been planted on the road near Kawuri village in the Konduga Local Government Area. One soldier was killed in the blasts and several others were wounded. The soldiers fought back and killed some of the insurgents who had ambushed them. Exact numbers were not disclosed.

A resident of Kawuri, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said the military convoy had driven over the IEDs that had been planted by JAS near Mairi in the eastern part of the town.

“Although people are going on with their normal day-to-day activities, they are too afraid to go to nearby forests on the outskirts of Kawuri town because they think they will be attacked or abducted. Some are so scared that they have fled from Kawuri town. At least 20 households are deserted.”

He said the government urgently needed to provide more weapons and other equipment to security operatives, including to local hunters and members of the civilian joint task force (CJTF), adding that residents in the area were scared, never knowing when or where the insurgents would strike again.

Babagana Usman, a resident of Bama, said the ambush by insurgents on the Bama-Banki road near the town of Darul-Jamal was the deadliest in recent times.

“The Boko Haram insurgents killed 18 people. Some were slaughtered like animals with their throats slit, others were shot and some were burnt alive, trapped in their cars which were set alight. The insurgents also burnt down one military gun truck and about six trucks loaded with food, building materials and other goods. Many people, including women and children, and three security operatives, were abducted.”

He said the Bama-Banki road had remained open and motorists, passengers, traders and commercial truck drivers were using it, despite their fear of IEDs.

“There are strict security measures in place and all drivers are being escorted by soldiers. The military has said that the strict security measures will continue to ensure that people on the road are kept safe.”

But it was not just the residents of Bama and Konduga who were concerned about security on the state’s roads. Traders, motorists and residents of the Dikwa Local Government Area also expressed concern about IEDs that had been planted along the Maiduguri-Dikwa road. They called on the Borno State government to beef up security to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.

Mohammed Ali, a driver and a resident of Dikwa town, said people feared using the Maiduguri-Dikwa road because of the threat of IEDs being detonated.

“Just a couple of days ago some military vehicles drove over IEDs on that road. Many soldiers were wounded. Thank God no one was killed. Everyone who uses that busy road is scared that they could detonate an IED and might end up dead. The road needs to be made more secure. The government should scale up security measures to ensure that drivers, passengers and those picking up or delivering goods can do so safely.

Ba Modu, a trader, said insurgents had started planting IEDs along the road again about a month ago.

“Since then road users, including military and commercial vehicles, have driven over and detonated IEDs and many have been wounded. Last week on Friday [August 11] two IEDs were discovered on the road by soldiers and other security operatives. The government must do something urgently to ensure people in Borno State can travel safely, instead of fearing for their lives all the time.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO