No fewer than 18 people including members of youth vigilantes were yesterday, killed and scores of others injured in Benisheik, Borno State in a coordinated attack by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
Survivors, who spoke to journalists from their hospital beds, recounted how the insurgents stormed Benisheik, headquarters, of Kaga Local Government, in the wee hours. They said the insurgents targeted the youth volunteers popularly called Civilian JTF, who had been conducting surveillance and security checks in the area.
Sources said the insurgents disguised as members of the Civilian JTF to infiltrate the youth vigilantes, unknown to the youths that they were Boko Haram. “Boko Haram with sophisticated arms, opened fire on us killing 12 of our members. We were able to kill five of them and took possession of their four AK 47,” Zannah Fannami, one of the wounded Civilian JTF members said on his hospital bed. He said the insurgents stormed the town at about 12:30a.m yesterday.
Another member of the vigilance group, Muhammed Abuwar, who also sustained injury on his arm and leg, said security forces had agreed to watch and lay ambush against Boko Haram, but lamented that the army troops could not come to their rescue while the attack lasted.
Spokesman of the newly created Nigeria Army 7 Division, Maiduguri, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said information available to the Division revealed that some suspected members of the Boko Haram sect, who disguised as members of the youth vigilance group attacked Benisheikh in Kaga Local Government Area at about 12:30 am yesterday. He, however, said six of the youth vigilance group were killed in an ensuing confrontation with the sect.
“Some elements of 21 Brigade troop have been drafted to the area and the attack had been repelled. Troops were still combing the area in search for fleeing terrorists,” he said. Musa however, promised to furnish journalists with further details as more facts emerge on the incident.
Commenting on the blocking of the road by some aggrieved youths in Benisheik, he explained that the army had cleared the road which is a major highway that links Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, with Maiduguri, capital of Borno State. He said normalcy had returned to the area.
Benisheik is located west of Maiduguri and about 72 kilometers away from the capital city. It has also witnessed similar attacks by the insurgents in the past. The youth vigilantes had in recent time, mounted heavy surveillance and checks in the town as motorists and commercial vehicles were usually compelled to disembark for routine checks.
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