Boko Haram Kills Scores, Recaptures 2 Borno LGAs, Razes Secretariats

Boko Haram has pulled out of two local government areas in Borno State, hours after taking control of them on Wednesday evening in coordinated attacks.

The insurgents, who had captured Gubio and Magumeri, Thursday morning, withdrew from the areas which have had no military presence for sometime now.

Gubio and Magumeri have no military presence as troops were withdrawn recently for routine operational changes as enshrined in the military’s rules of engagement.

Our Correspondent gathered that hundreds of thousands of residents have been displaced, while others are under the captivity of insurgents, especially those who chose not to flee the attacks.

In Gubio, the insurgents invaded the council headquarters, shooting sporadically, instilling fears in scores of residents and setting houses ablaze.

Scores of people sustained injuries as they fled the areas.

Confirming the incident, Zanna Modu Gubio, the Caretaker Chairman of Gubio, said the insurgents stormed Gubio town at about 6 p.m, performed their magrib prayers at about 6:30pm and wreaked havoc on innocent civilians.

According to him, they set houses and other public buildings, including the secretariats of the two local governments without confrontation.

Gubio said: “It is unfortunate that a week after deadly attack that took place in Gubio which led to the withdrawal of troops, another group of armed insurgents stormed Gubio town at about 6pm, performed their magrib prayers at about 6:30 p.m in Gubio Mosque before wreaking havoc on innocent civilians, and setting ablaze houses and public structures.

“I am currently in Maiduguri for the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed commissioners, and all of a sudden, I started receiving distress calls that my people are under Boko Haram attack.

“Although, I cannot give you the actual number of casualties for now, but from all indications and the reports I have so far, the insurgents have taken over Gubio shooting at sight and burning structures without confrontation.”

In Magumeri, the insurgents, before taken over control, succeeded in razing down the council secretariat, other public structures and residential houses, including that of a member of the House of Representatives of Gubio, Magumeri and Kaga Federal Constituency, Usman Zannah.

Reacting to the attack Thursday, Zannah said: “Two local government areas of Gubio and Magumeri where I hail from have been overrun by Boko Haram.

“As I speak, all good houses in Gubio and Magumeri have been set ablaze, including my House and the council secretariat. My people have been displaced, and there is nothing we can do than to bring survivors into Maiduguri.

“It is unfortunate that the insurgents took advantage of troops’ withdrawal from the affected areas to wreak havoc without confrontation.”

However, Vanguard learned Thursday that the insurgents have withdrawn their presence from the two local government areas.

They were said to have carted away several new and fairly used tractor tyres which they seized from the two local government councils’ secretariat as well as food items seized from communities in the LGAs.

Mallam Ali Abba Kura and Babagana Mustapha in Gubio and Magumeri, who survived the attacks, told our correspondent that the insurgents were well armed and came in large numbers.

Reliable sources also said that the attack in Gubio town led to the abduction of a Civilian Joint Task Force Member, CJTF, (name withheld).

Another Source also said, the insurgents were not on killing mission, as they kept telling residents not to flee during the attacks but accept their ideology.

”With first hand information at my disposal, no life was lost but a member of CJTF in his uniform in Gubio was taken away by the insurgents who also carted away several tractor tyres in Magumeri after destroying houses and public structures in both towns,” the lawmaker, Zannah, said.