Faced with outrage by Nigerians on the unprecedented massacre of civilians by Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in a reprisal attack on Faduma Koloram village, in Gubio Local Government Area (LGA) on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed “shock,” charging the military to “to extract a heavy price from the attackers.”
The President also tasked the military to “bring back all those they kidnapped as well as the large number of cattle rustled.”
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, the epicentre of terrorist violence and brutal killlings in the Northeast region, had on Wednesday confirmed the killing of 81 persons. The attack happened a day after Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant Ceneral Tukur Yusuf Buratai briefed President Buhari on the “strings of successes” against the terrorists by the military.
Two day before Monday’s Presidential brief, that is last Saturday, Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists killed six Nigerian troops in a military base in Auno, a village that is 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Maiduguri, capital of Borno State.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, heavily armed bandits invaded the Kadisau, Maigora, Kabalawa, Kwakware, Raudama and Unguwar Wahabi communities in Faskari Local Government of President Muhammadu Buhari’s home State of Katsina, killing over 40 people, mostly women and children. They also destroyed all the houses in the communities while rustling cattle.
In a statement by Presidential Spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu said: “As news of one the most brutal terrorist attacks on innocent people emerged from the Northeast, President Muhammadu Buhari said he is deeply shocked by the brutal killing of tens of people by the Boko Haram/Islam in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Gubio village, Borno State.
“The President, who was expecting a detailed briefing by the Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum on the outcome of his visit to the affected communities, said the “primordial nature of the killings is particularly shocking because it happened not long after the Ramadhan and Eid, and the country is preparing to celebrate the Democracy Day.”
“In condemning the incident, President Buhari charged the armed forces to sustain their recent string of successes against the terrorists to extract a heavy price from the attackers, and bring back all those they kidnapped as well as the large number of cattle rustled.
“He also expressed the sincere condolences of the government and people of Nigeria to the bereaved families, communities and the government and people of Borno State.”
Governor Babagana Zulum had on Wednesday confirmed the killing of 81 persons by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists who invaded Faduma Koloram village, in Gubio Local Government Area (LGA) when he visited the scene of the attack to commiserate with survivors.
Stating that 13 persons were injured while fleeing the attack and seven others sustained various degrees of injury, the Governor further explained that 49 of the deceased had already been buried before his arrival, while their families took 32 bodies of the other victims away.
Zulum recalled that the terrorists, who attacked Gajiram LGA some months ago, were the same ones who carried out the attack, describing it as “very unfortunate.”
He stated that the only positive option to end the massacre on vulnerable communities was to dislodge the terrorists in their stronghold, which he identified as the shores of Lake Chad.
According to the Governor, “we have been advocating for this for a very long time. The Tumbus and other shores of Lake Chad must be cleared completely, then people will get rest of mind. Anything less than this is a temporary measure. That requires a lot of support from the Federal Government such as blocking of the leakage from our neighbouring countries by the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).”
Zulum said that the State government, on its part, would adopt measures to protect the people from further attacks, including merging smaller communities with larger ones, where they could be provided with effective security.
“This village from Gubio town is over 35 kilometers. Due to the nature of the vast land, the insurgents can easily sneak into the community to cause havoc. The military can come here and relocate them, but at the end, they may come back,” he said.
Modu Gana, a survivor, had earlier told the Governor that the community was attacked three times by the terrorists within the last one month.
Gana said that the attackers stormed the village in three Hilux vans and motorcycles, telling them that they came to preach the word of God to the people.
“They asked us to remove all our charms, cutlasses, bows and arrows, as well as other spiritual protection for special prayers. Immediately we did that, they began shooting at us from different directions, many people escaped with bullet wounds, while seven others, including our village head, were abducted by the terrorists,” he said.
Gana said more than 2,400 livestock were rustled by the terrorists.
While a mass burial was conducted for the remaining 32 dead, five of the victims, who were severely injured, were taken to the Maiduguri Specialist Hospital for treatment by the state government.
