Borno : Boko Haram kills scores in fresh attacks

It has been reported that in Borno State, at least 29 persons have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents.

This happened on Saturday in fresh attacks by Boko Haram insurgents on three local government areas of Borno State.

The three local governments attacked are Gubio, Nganzai and Monguno.

The Boko Haram attacks came barely a day after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), claimed that the terrorist group had been degraded and were only taken advantage of the COVID-19 to execute pockets of attacks.

It was reported that the group had on Tuesday killed 81 persons in a major attack on Gubio.

The group reportedly returned to another settlement in Gubio, Dunga village, where they struck on Saturday morning.

Just about the same time, the insurgents attacked Usmanti village in the Nganzai Local Government Area, killing 29 persons.

Credible sources reported that the insurgents invaded Usmanti around 11 am on Saturday.

“The insurgents executed a daring attack killing 29 persons in the village. The village though in Nganzai Local Government Area shares boundary with Gubio Local Government Area where 81 persons were killed on Tuesday,” one of the sources said.

The insurgents were also said to have attacked Monguno town, one of the most strategic towns in Northern Borno, which houses humanitarian operations and has structures accommodating over 100,000 internally displaced persons.

Eyewitnesses in Monguno revealed that the military was able to repel the terrorists.

They said land troops were assisted by air strike, rooting out the invading terrorists.

Scores killed, others injured as gunmen and residents clash

It has been reported that at least 43 persons have been killed and scores were injured in fresh attacks in several communities in Benue, Taraba and Zamfara states.

In Tungwa and Utsua-Daa communities in the Bali local government area of Taraba State, 11 persons were said to have been killed.

 A resident of Bagoni near Tungwa, Alhaji Sale Umar, told one of our correspondents that gunmen invaded Tungwa on Thursday and Utsua-Daa on Friday, killing 11 people.

Umar said several houses in the two communities located along Bali-Marararba road were also burnt in the attacks. He said, 

“We saw 11 dead bodies after the attacks. Many houses have been burnt and people have deserted the communities. Many people especially Tiv farmers are fleeing the communities to Bali for safety.”

Caretaker Chairman of Bali Local Government Council, Musa Mahmud, confirmed the attacks but said five people were killed.

Mahmud, who said he was at the scene of the attacks, also said several houses were burnt.

Bandits kill 15 people in fresh Katsina attacks

Fifteen people were reportedly killed in Faskari and Sabuwa local government areas of Katsina State in a deadly attack by bandits who stormed communities in the two councils on Thursday.

The bandits were said to have attacked Unguwar Gizo, Maigora, Mai Ruwa, and Sabon Layin Galadima in Faskari  Local government as well as Machika town in Sabuwa Local Government Area.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits stormed the communities at about midnight on Thursday and carried out the attacks till early Friday.

It was learnt that residents of the communities attempted to repel the attacks which actually led to the fatalities. Fifteen people were reportedly killed in the attack while an unspecified number of cattle were also said to have been rustled.

The spokesman for the Katsina police command, SP Gambo Isah, while commenting on the incident put the figures of those killed at thirteen. He said, 

“Yes it is true; 13 people were killed. We keep telling people especially those at the front-line to avoid confrontation with these bandits because they are armed with AK guns and you can’t fight then with dane guns and machetes.

They came to rustle animals and the villagers confronted them which made the bandits to attacked.”

We learnt that a joint security operation is ongoing in the state to nip the problems of banditry and kidnappings in the bud.

Graphic : Fulani Herdsmen launch fresh attacks on Kaduna communities

Again, Fulani herdsmen have launched attacks on at least five villager and displaced residents of seven communities in Kaduna State.

From 19th to 24th May, the armed herdsmen attacked Idazau, Etissi, Bakin Kogi, Dutsen Gora, UN Gora, Pushu Kallah and Magunguna villages. They left 5 persons dead, 78 injured, destroyed 607 houses and rustled 231 cows in their wake.

It was also gathered that at least 51 people are missing after the attacks. A resident revealed that they are scared of going back to claim their dead as their villages are still occupied by their attackers.

Some churches such as the Catholic Church in Idazau, ECWA in Etiissi, ECWA in Bakin Kogi and ECWA in Magunguna were reported burnt to the ground during the attacks.