Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters attacked and looted four trucks among a convoy of 40 trucks carrying food meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs), including those in resettled communities, in the Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State on Thursday evening, July 7.
The consignment of food and nutritional products was on its way to Damasak, the headquarters Mobbar. It was part of a donation from the World Food Programme (WFP) for IDPs from Abadam and victims of the insurgency who had returned to their homes in the Mobbar area. The attack occurred on near Layi village.
A resident of Damasak, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, told RNI that the insurgents blocked the road and stole food items and fuel, adding that attacks of this kind were common.
“The insurgents burnt a car belonging to government that was accompanying the convoy. What usually happens, if you’re transporting fuel and other valuable goods, is that the insurgents will stop the car and take the fuel and anything else that has value. This happens often to motorists on this road.”
The source said there were not a lot of IDPS in Damasak and less than 5,000 households. Most IDPs, originally from Mobbar, were living in host communities in Damasak.
“But the IDPs from Abadam are camping in the Government Senior Secondary School camp, a protective camp in Damasak town. There are also two informal IDP camps, Masa Kaleye and Chibguski. There are fewer than 5,000 people in the informal camps.
“The food was meant for IDPs in all three camps, including the returnees living in host communities. It was fortunate that the insurgents stole food only from four of the trucks.”
He said the IDPs had been receiving humanitarian aid, such as food, from the WFP, which worked with Interosos Nigeria, its implementing partner. Interosos was known for providing lifesaving health interventions in some Borno State areas where there were no health services. It also conducted malnutrition screening services and referred those in need to specialised facilities in Magumeri, Bama, Ngala and Dikwa.
When the residents heard about the attack, they did not flee in fright because, he said, this was not the first attack of this kind on the road.
“It’s not a new thing for us. Every rainy season these attacks are common. Before this particular attack, a few days ago, insurgents came into the town at night but they were chased away by the security operatives. So, this is how we are live in this town. We are used to it.”
He said the government had to take necessary proactive security measures to curtail these “soft attacks” on the town. The military also needed to take action to fight the insurgents.
“We have seen insurgents carrying out attacks in the area, using one car and motorbikes. I would guess there aren’t more than 50 of them. We have seen them on the road stopping cars and stealing petrol and valuables. Sometimes they are on the road, carrying out these attacks for two or three hours without any response from the military.
“The military needs to tackle the insurgents. They should kill them or at least chase them away from this road once and for all. If they do that, there will be no more attacks on the road and attacks on soft targets in the town will be drastically reduced.”
SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO
