No fewer than four persons were brutally killed, with five others abducted (aid workers included) in a spate of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state. The unfortunate incident took place along Monguno road, Borno.
Some of the people abducted include aid workers of a humanitarian agency who were on their way back from providing “life-saving assistance” to people affected by the insurgency.
According to an eyewitness who spoke with The Cable, Malumbe Yarima said the insurgents spent two hours perpetrating violence at Gusarwa.
Yarima shared his gruesome experience with newsmen.
“We left Monguno at about 7:30 am heading to Maiduguri but on reaching Gasarwa, we fell into the hands of Boko Haram militants who were at a check point,” he said.
“The Boko Haram militants had three gun trucks and wielded with anti-air craft gun. They were well kitted in military camouflage.
“When we got to the scene, we met about 20 vehicles already in the queue. Three of the insurgents spoke fluent English while others spoke in Kanuri and Hausa. They asked used to alight from our vehicles and requested our identification cards.
“Those identified as soldiers, policemen, government, Christians and humanitarian workers were asked to step aside.
“Soldiers, civilian joint force and Christians and the other aid workers were taken to the road side and killed instantly.
“In my own vehicle, one person was killed. Although, his identity could not be ascertained, he was among those shot dead. They took our videos and pictures and documented us. Two of the insurgents who asked their colleagues to spare our lives, preached to us to repent and join the forces of God in the quest to establish Islamic caliphate”
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“We were later released around 10am. Apparently, I couldn’t tell you how many number of people that were abducted but they were aid workers.
“One other person in the queue we met at Munguno checking point was crying. When we asked what happened, he said his wife was among the women that were abducted.”
Another aid worker confirmed the incident to correspondents of The Cable.
An aid worker, who spoke to TheCable off the record, said two of those abducted by the insurgents were staff of his organisation.
He said the victims were on their way to Maiduguri “after providing life-saving assistance” to individuals and families affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the northeast.
The woke who chose to remain anonymous said “Right now the office is working on the situation. We have forwarded the report to the UNOCHA for prompt action,”