Boko Haram strikes again, kills seven in Adamawa community

PHOTO: IBTimes UK

• How insurgents can be defeated, by Fayose
• NSCDC secures 5000 rifles to fight insurgency

Boko Haram insurgents in the early hours of yesterday attacked Miltho village in Madagali Local Council of Adamawa State, killing seven people.

The insurgents, who burst into the village from the eastern flank of Sambisa forest, also injured 10 villagers, before fleeing with carted food items.

Papka Madu, a member of the vigilance group disclosed this yesterday afternoon in a telephone interview with The Guardian.

Fleeing residents said the rampaging insurgents stormed the village, at 3:00a.m. and opened fire on sleeping residents.

He said, “despite the attacks, some villagers were able to flee into nearby bushes and hills. The killed villagers were shot while they were sleeping. As at the last count, seven people were killed while about 10 others were injured and were rushed to a clinic at Gulak.”

The Chairman of Madagali Local Council, Muhammad Yusuf, confirmed the death of seven people, but said the total casualty figure was uncertain.

When contacted, the Adamawa police command Public Relations Officer, Chief Supritendant Usman Mohammed, said he would get back later.

Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, yesterday urged the Federal Government to stop lying to Nigerians about the insurgents and let the people know the situation on ground so that genuine assistance could be offered.

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti by the governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, he also alleged a possible release of some Chibok girls to divert attention and give the impression that it was making progress in the fight against the insurgents.

The governor described the United States “Country Report on Terrorism 2016” and the Transparency International reports revealing corruption in the military as confirmation of his earlier position that the Federal Government lied to Nigerians that Boko Haram was technically defeated.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism had said in the report that the inability of security agencies in Nigeria to share intelligence reports because of animosity is affecting the success in the fight against Boko Haram.

It went further to accuse the State Security Services (SSS) of failure to share intelligence reports with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), thus making it harder to investigate Boko Haram financing.

He said: “With over 120 Nigerians killed by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State last month alone, it is necessary for the Federal Government to face the reality that it has a very long walk to victory in the fight against the insurgents.’’

While reiterating the need for the government to say the truth always, Governor Fayose said: “The government cannot keep telling the public that Boko Haram has been decimated and the same Boko Haram was able to kill over 120 people in just one state in one month.’’

In another development, Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr.Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has declared that the corps has received no fewer than 5000 rifle guns from the Nigeria Army to stamp out insurgency in the country.

Muhammadu disclosed this yesterday in Akure during the commissioning of some projects in Ondo State NSCDC Command, saying they were received to jointly fight the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Borno State.

The NSCDC boss, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant-General of Operation, Mr. Hilary Kelechi Madu, said that the rifles were given after the corps personnel were trained by the army.

He reiterated that NSCDC would continue to work with other sister agencies in the country to tackle security threats in the country so as to ensure a crime-free society.