Over 50 killed in terrorists attack in Borno, Nasarawa

No fewer than 50 people were killed late Sunday night in separate terrorist attacks on the Dumba community in Baga town, Borno State, and Tatara village in Nasarawa State.  

In Borno, the victims included farmers and fishermen, as confirmed by the state Commissioner for Information, Usman Tar.

The attack occurred in Dumba, Kukawa Local Government Area, a community situated near Lake Chad, predominantly occupied by fishermen and local farmers.

On the same day, another group of terrorists targeted Bazir village in Chibok, where two brothers were killed, a church and residential houses were razed, and livestock and foodstuffs looted.

Reacting to the Dumba attack, Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, condemned it in strong terms, and called on the officers and men of Operation Hadin Kai to track and obliterate the insurgents operating at Dumba and other similar enclaves in the Lake Chad area.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar, who spoke for governor in Maiduguri yesterday, said: “ Investigation has commenced on the circumstances behind this attack.

‘’Initial report indicates about 40 farmers have been killed while the whereabouts of many who escaped the attack are being traced for reunion with their families.”

The governor also commiserated with the victims and their families, while assuring that those still missing would be found and reunited with their families.

“With deep sorrow and anguish, I received the sad news of the attack on Dumba where scores of our farmers and fishermen were killed by terrorists.

‘’On behalf of the government, I sympathise with the victims’ families. Let me assure the citizens of Borno that this matter will be thoroughly investigated for further necessary action. ‘’Let me use this opportunity to call on the armed forces to track and deal decisively with the perpetrators of this heinous act of violence against our innocent citizens,’’ Gov Zulum said.

It was observed that the farmers strayed off the security corridor established by security agencies, and went into an enclave yet to be cleared.

Such enclaves, it was learned, are usually prone to nocturnal attacks by marauding terrorists, as well as being contaminated with landmines.

Gov Zulum called on citizens not to venture beyond the safety zones demarcated by the government and security agencies.

The commissioner quoted the governor as saying: “The government has clearly demarcated the land for safe farming and economic activities, allowing the military to focus on clearing the unsafe areas where security clearance and combat operations could be conducted.

‘’It is important for our citizens not to go into areas where there may be an exchange of fires, or where the terrorists may be lurking and trespassing.

“Borno government also commends the armed forces for its consistent effort in ensuring that vast tracks of land are cleared for human resettlement and agriculture, consistent with Gov Zulum’s sustainable solutions to managing internal displacement in Borno State.

“Borno government calls on farmers, fishermen and local communities to settle and carry out their legitimate activities within the ‘safe corridors’ demarcated by the armed forces.

“The safe corridors consist of vast tracks of land which were cleared and decontaminated of explosives, where settlement, fishing and farming could be safely carried out under the dutiful watch of our gallant security forces.

“It is dangerous to stray away from the demarcated safe corridors to enable the security forces to concentrate in safeguarding lives while continuing to engage the terrorists without fear of the citizens being used as human shields by the terrorists.

‘’The government also calls on citizens to report any sighting of strange movements within or settlements and farmlands for speedy action.’’

In Nasarawa, at least 10 persons were killed, also on late Sunday, by a group of terrorists who attacked Tatara village in Panda development area of the state.

The attack on the village, according to eyewitnesses, was unprovoked because there was no incident prior to the attack that should have warranted suck wanton killings.

“ It started like a usual robbery kind of attack but after a short while, a group of Fulani militia invaded the community with motorcycles and started shooting sporadically from a shop where three persons were feared killed. They were the first victims,” an eyewitness said.

Further checks revealed that before security men arrived at the scene of the mayhem, the terrorists had killed more people numbering about seven.

The eyewitnesses explained that when the security operative arrived later, the killers had fled the community, leaving behind their motorcycles.

Some sources in the area said the killers were from nearby villages of Kaduna, neighbouring Tatara, who after the attack escaped to their hideouts.

Others claimed that the killers were terrorists from Zamfara and Katsina, fleeing the military onslaught against insurgents in the two states.

A resident, Ibrahim Babayo, from Keffi said: “ I received a call at around 12 am on Sunday confirming that gunmen, allegedly from the Fulani tribe, stormed the village, shooting indiscriminately and leaving seven persons dead.

‘’It is becoming obvious that the state is currently harbouring terrorists in some communities where mining activities are pronounced.’’

Recall that the state government, in collaboration with the military, flushed out terror groups and their families but recent attacks have proven that terrorists’ influx into some parts of the state is imminent and worrisome. Efforts to get police confirmation of the attack yesterday proved abortive as the spokesman of the state police command could not be reached at press time.