Less than two months after four members of Ibadan Foodstuff Sellers Association were killed by gunmen in Borno State, 10 traders were allegedly killed by gunmen suspected to be members of Islamic sect on Friday.
This was disclosed by the president of the association, Alhaji Musliudeen Olalekan Azeez, on Monday while speaking with journalists at the Bodija Market, saying they learnt that the traders were among over 60 people allegedly killed by the terrorist sect.
Eight of those allegedly killed were said to be traders at Bodija Market, while two others were from Orita-merin Market, also in Ibadan.
Azeez informed that the executive member of the association had ensured that some shops were under lock and key in Bodija Market, as they mourned the killing of their members.
According to him, majority of the victims were beans sellers and they had gone to Borno State to purchase the food items before they were killed at Monguno area of Borno State.
Four traders from Bodija Market had been allegedly killed on May 5, 2013 while on their way to buy produce from Borno State.
Confirming the report, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the market, Mr Akeem Emiola, said the sad news was relayed to them on Friday through a telephone conversation by one of their customers, adding that “since then, we have been making contact with the families of the deceased.”
He gave the names of those killed as Seye Adegboyega, Jelili Popoola, Ojo Mosobalaje, Fatai Kareem and Femi Oyetunde.
Others, according to him, are Ninalowo Saheed, Saburu Lanlehin, Lekan Oladokun, Sola Adeoye and Nurudeen Lawal.
He said two of the traders, Alhaji Ibrahim Ademola and Taoheed Azeez, narrowly escaped death.
Emiola disclosed that their corpses would be received tomorrow by the executive members at the Oyo end of the Ibadan/Ilorin Road.
Meanwhile, the youth vigilance group in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, popularly called “Civilian JTF,” on Monday, forced their way into the house of the state chairman of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Alhaji Mala Othman, and set the house ablaze.
The youths numbering in their hundreds had stormed the house with the initial plan to arrest the ANPP chieftain at about 10.30am, chanting “Sai mun Kawo Karshensu” (meaning we must bring to an end their activities).
They blocked the major streets leading to his house, but the ANPP chieftain was smuggled out the house and escorted by security operatives, to protect him from being mobbed.
Upon realising that Othman had escaped, the group set his house ablaze, before they proceeded to the house of the former governor of the state, Ali Modu Sheriff, where security operatives guarding the house prevented them from unleashing mayhem.
It will be recalled that the youth had been hunting for the ANPP chairman, alleging that himself and Sheriff were sponsors of Boko Haram insurgents.
A member of the youth group, Abdulrahman Musa, told the Nigerian Tribune that people had continued to pray that God would reveal those behind the act of the sect, adding that the group was also on the lookout for former Governor Sheriff.