Soldiers, civilian joint task force members and hunters help to repel attack on Fulani community – but call on government to provide more patrol cars and weapons.
A man was injured on Tuesday when unknown gunmen attacked the Fulani community on the outskirts of Malari village in the Konduga Local Government Area in Borno State.
The man was shot and wounded as the gunmen – thought to be Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS) insurgents – tried to steal a herd of cattle.
Soldiers, local hunters and members of the civilian joint task force (CJTF) managed to successfully repel the attack.
Baba Gana Usman, a local hunter from Dalori town which is close to Malari village, said the JAS insurgents, armed with guns, arrived on seven motorbikes.
They started to attack the Fulani community in a forest close to Malari village. Their aim was to steal cattle, other livestock and property belonging to the Fulani community.
“The insurgents arrived about 6pm on the evening of Tuesday, December 5. They shot one Fulani man, with the bullet hitting and wounding his hand. As the insurgents were gathering the animals together, Fulani men burnt one of their motorbikes.”
Usman told RNI that as soon as the soldiers, CJTF members and local hunters “got intel about the attack, we quickly went to the scene on the outskirts of Malari village. Fortunately, we able to successfully repel the attack. Some of the Fulani men on horseback followed the insurgents to retrieve their stolen cattle and take vengeance.”
“We took the wounded Fulani man to a hospital in Dalori town for proper medical treatment.
“The government must provide us with additional patrol vehicles and weapons to protect people’s lives and property against such attacks by Boko Haram [JAS] insurgents.”
Usman said everything was back to normal again in Malari village and residents were continuing their day-to-day business activities peacefully.
“Security operatives are patrolling patrol the forests between Dalori, Kalari Abdulbe, Malari village down to Konduga town.
“But I am urging residents to be on the lookout constantly and to provide relevant information about any suspicious groups of people or if they see foreign objects to security operatives. I have also asked residents, particularly farmers, to avoid going into remote places or too far into the deep forest where their safety and security cannot be guaranteed.”
SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO
