Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
Survivors of Tuesday Boko Haram attack on a community in the northern part of Borno have put the casualty figure at 81.
An elderly man (names withheld for protection) who fled Faduma Kolomdi, a remote community in Gubio Local Government amid heavy firing by Boko Haram recalled how the terrorists invaded the area on armoured tanks, gun trucks and motorcycles.
He told Gov Babagana Zulum who visited the community on Wednesday that the terrorists started the attack at about 10am and operated till about 4pm.
“They asked us to submit whatever arm we had. Some villagers gave up their dane guns, bow and arrows. The insurgents pretended as if they were not here for any violence. Suddenly, they started shooting at will. Even children and women were not spared, many were shot at close range. Many started running.
“We have buried 49 corpses here while another 32 corpses were taken away by families from the villages around us,” he disclosed.
He said the insurgents also abducted seven persons including the village head. “They went away with 400 cattle” he disclosed.
Another survivor also corroborated the account of the elderly man. He said some women were abducted by the insurgents.
Gov Zulum described the attack as babaric and unfortunate. He also evacuated five injured persons and took them in his convoy, for treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Zulum said the terrorists carried out similar attack on a town, Gajiram around the area, urging the military to dislodge the insurgents from the area.
“The only solution to end this massacre is by dislodging the insurgents in the shores of Lake Chad. Doing so will require collaborative regional efforts,” Zulum said.