Fresh attacks carried out the the dreaded Boko Haram Group has reportedly killed about 20 people in Gajiram, headquarters of the Nganzai Local Government, and Bulabulin Ngawra village in the Konduga Local Government area of Borno State yesterday.
The Nganzai Local Government secretariat complex, two primary schools, a clinic and some residential houses were reported set on fire by the suspected assailants.
Nganzai, a 73-kilometre and Bullabulin Ngawra, 45 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital are both linked and have boundaries with the Boko haram’s camps of Marte and Sambiza Forests which were said to have been destroyed by Joint Task Force (JTF) when the emergency rule was declared by the Federal Government in May.
It was reported that suspected Boko Haram’s members in separate attacks laid ambush to their victims including many said to have sustained injuries of various degrees.
According to reports, the terror suspects which comprised of about 40 well-armed with Ak 47 rifles laid ambushed Gajiram town on Thursday morning.
15 residents were killed while the group set some public and residential buildings on fire before they withdrew due to counter attack by the combined efforts of the vigilante youths and men of the JTF.
In a related situation, six suspected members of the Islamic sect, including their commander (name withheld), have been arrested by the combined efforts of the military operatives and the vigilante youths in Maiduguri, the state capital.
It was gathered that the arrested commander of the sect was in charge of Sulimanti Ward where he equally led his members to a deadly attack early this year on a bakery in Sulimanti where six workers were slaughtered.
A source disclosed that the sect’s commander was arrested in the Konguga local council area on Tuesday but he pleaded with the JTF to allow him go to Maiduguri and expose some of his collaborators after interrogations.
The Joint Task Force, (JTF) spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa told the press in Maiduguri that he could not confirm the incident as at press time but assured that a statement will be issued on the development.
It was also gathered that Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawan, has gone to Gajiram headquarters of Gajiram to commiserate with the residents.
But, the actual number of casualties could not be officially ascertained at press time on Thursday.
Governor Kashim Shettima and his deputy, Zanna Umar Mustapha, were out of Maiduguri for an official assignment in Abuja on Thursday.
It could be recalled that the Maiduguri-Dambao-Biu road was reopened two weeks ago after its closure by the JTF.
The JTF was ambushed under by some terror suspects who mounted a road-block on Thursday few metres away from Bullabulin Ngawra village before then but the bandits reportedly shot and killed five people.
An eyewitness, Aisami Babagana from Bulabilin Ngawra disclosed that “the Boko Haram sect members attacked Bullabulin Ngawra in the early hours of today (Thursday) and killed five people.
“I believe that they attacked us because of how our volunteers have succeeded in curtailing their atrocities in our area” the witness revealed.