A child, two Civilian Joint Task Force members and eight villagers were killed in three separate attacks by insurgents in the Borno State local government areas of Monguno, Kaga and Chibok from Thursday, June 30, to Monday, July 4.
Residents of the local councils told RNI what happened. They said the attacks had left them feeling scared and worried.
Ibrahim Ahmed, a resident of Ngamdu town in the Kaga Local Government Area, said: “Boko Haram [Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād – JAS] insurgents attacked our town on Saturday, July 2, at about 11am. They stormed the military outpost on the outskirts of the town but they did not actually enter the town. It is quite a long way from the outpost and to the town.
“We heard gunshots in the distance. At the time, we thought the soldiers were testing their weapons, but the shots carried on. Then we realised that something was wrong and people in the town began to panic. But no one fled the town.
“At about noon, we saw a helicopter flying over. A few hours later we heard that the soldiers had successfully repelled the attack and chased away the insurgents. Unfortunately, there were three children who were badly wounded, one of whom died. The other two children are receiving treatment in hospital.”
He said the children were at a nearby forest and had been hit by stray bullets.
“Since then, it has been quiet in the town and people have resumed their normal day-to-day activities. But we all live in terror, expecting another attack at any time.”
Mohammad Mohammed, a resident of Monguno town in the Monguno Local Government Area, told RNI that insurgents, thought to be members of the JAS, had attacked the town twice. The first time was on Sunday, July 3, and the second in the early hours of Monday, July 4.
He said no one was wounded or killed in the first attack. Soldiers fought them off and chased the insurgents away.
Talking about the second attack, Mohammed said: “I was in my room watching a movie on my phone. At about 1am on Monday I heard gunshots. Between 1.45am and 1.59am the shooting was intense. A few minutes later, I heard military vehicles coming out of the barracks and approaching the area where the insurgents had infiltrated the town.
“Initially, the insurgents tried to penetrate the town through Bida Road in the Kumburi area and then at an abandoned sports centre, where internally displaced persons are living, on the outskirts of the town. It was there that they attacked a security trench and killed two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and abducted two others.
“The insurgents almost overpowered the security operatives at the trench, before reinforcement arrived from the army barracks, including two pickup trucks full of soldiers and four armoured tankers. They repelled and chased away the insurgents.”
Mohammed, said apart from the two CJTF members who were killed and the two abductions, no one else was wounded or killed.
“The situation here is scary. You never know when the insurgents will strike again. The government needs to do something about it.”
On Thursday, June 30, suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked Nchiha village in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno state. It was at about 6pm when the insurgents struck, killing eight villagers, including five members of one family. Two people drowned in the river while trying to escape the attack.
SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO
