56 Including 24 Youths Killed As Boko Haram Assail Borno LG

Atleast 57 people including 24 vigilante youths (Civilian JTF), 16 Shuwa Arab herdsmen and 17 civilians were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in three different Local Government Areas of Monguno, Damboa and Nganzai in Borno state.

This ugly development is coming barely one week after the withdrawal of Joint Task Force 'Operation Restore Order' which was replaced by a Military Division. It was also observed that Governor Kashim Shettima on Saturday afternoon had a marathon meeting with security chiefs and traditional rulers in which the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai Elkanemi was in attendance.


Although, Journalists were prevented from the meeting, it was gathered that the meeting dwelled extensively on how to review the security challenges currently going on in villages, towns and Council areas of the state, in which, all the affected local government chairmen used the opportunity and briefed the governor on the recent Boko Haram attacks in their domain.

Our Correspondent authoritatively gathered that the incident has put fear in the minds of the Vigilante youths, specifically those in Maiduguri Metropolis, as the state capital has within the last one week witnessed a drastic reduction of vigilante youths from the streets of Maiduguri.

The incident in Monguno according to sources said, "the 24 vigilante youths numbering over 100 were on a mission to capture some Boko Haram terrorists in their camps around Kaleri, Shuwari, Maganari and Nannari villages before they were ambushed by the terrorists which led to the death of 24 vigilante youths, while about 36 were still missing.

" infact, there was an initial arrangement with military troops that they will accompany the vigilante youths to the said Boko Haram camps in Monguno, and when the youths waited to see the arrival of military for some hours without response, they took liver to visit the area with a view to arrest the suspects, but unknowingly to them that the armed Boko Haram sects were disguised in Military Uniform with three captured patrol vehicles of the security agencies which lured the vigilante youths to conclude that it was the military troops that went to the camp ahead of them.

"So as they approached the camps, the terrorists opened fire and killed about 15 of the Civilian JTF, while the other nine who were spiritually charmed against gunshots were killed by using their vehicles in crushing them. But as I am talking to you now, about 36 of the volunteered youths were still missing, while we received an unconfirmed report that five of the vigilante youths who escaped the attack with broken legs and hands injuries were rescued by some good Samaritans and are in one of the villages close to the camps which they are receiving treatment by the villagers". The source disclosed.