A young man who was visiting his mother at an internally displaced persons’ camp in Nguro Soye in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State has been shot and killed by unknown gunmen, suspected of being members of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS).

The fighters stormed into Nguro Soye on Thursday night, April 27.

The fatal shooting has caused panic among the residents, most of whom are recently resettled displaced persons, who say that if security is not beefed up they will flee from the town.

The Borno State government, the Nigerian Army and other security operatives have been asked to investigate the shooting and to establish a community response network to ensure such an occurrence on a soft target does not happen again.

A resident of the town, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said: “Some gunmen, whom we believe were Boko Haram [JAS] insurgents, infiltrated Nguro Soye town on Thursday night and shot and killed a young man.

“The insurgents left the town after the killing. The slain young man was not even living in Nguro Soye at the time. He had come to visit his mother, who is taking refuge in an internally displaced persons’ camp on the outskirts of the town.

“His mother is desolate and is mourning the loss of her son. She was weeping uncontrollably after the shooting. Residents were trying to comfort her but they were also panicking because they feared the insurgents would come back. Her son was buried on Friday, April 28, according to Islamic rites.”

The resident told RNI that people in the town were extremely fearful.

“We don’t know why the insurgents infiltrated the town and killed an innocent young man. We have soldiers, civilian joint task force (CJTF) members and other security operatives in the town. We thought we were safe.

“Displaced persons who live inside IDP camps on the outskirts of the town are particularly frightened. We are begging the government to deploy more security operatives to ensure the protection of our lives and property.”

Kachalla Grema Kyari, a politician and a public affairs analyst, who is originally from Bama but is now living in Maiduguri, confirmed the killing.

“Suspected Boko Haram insurgents used to terrorise the inhabitants of the town in the past. That was why they fled from the town to take refuge in IDP camps and live with host communities in the Bama Local Government Area. However, once relative peace was established, the Borno State government resettled them in Nguro Soye.

“In the beginning, they lived peacefully. Then the insurgents started stealing food and other items, including their livestock. But this shocking killing has scared residents and they no longer feel safe.

“That’s why it is imperative for the Nigerian Army, the police, CJTF members and other security operatives to investigate the incident to find the root cause and who the perpetrators were behind it.”

Kyari said that based on his observations it would be extremely difficult for insurgents to carry out an attack on a soft target while the army and CJTF members were conducting special operations and massive counterinsurgency onslaughts in the area.

“Sometimes it happens that misguided people disguise themselves as Boko Haram insurgents to rob and kill innocent people. It is important that this case be thoroughly investigated to establish if the shooting was carried out by insurgents or criminals disguised as insurgents.

“Whatever the case, the Bama Local Government Area and the state government must be proactive and establish a community response network in Nguro Soye town to encourage residents to be more security conscious and to provide first-hand reports to security operatives if they see anything suspicious. If there are strangers in the area or if they see suspicious objects, they must inform security personnel immediately. If urgent security measures are not put in place, the residents are likely to flee from the town out of fear and panic.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO