Death Toll From Boko Haram Attack In Borno Hit 138

Hours after Boko Haram struck in Borno and Adamawa states, grim details of the attacks emerged yesterday.

The death toll rose from 74, which was reported yesterday, to 138.

Eighty-five died in Kawuri village in Borno State, and 53 in Chakawa, Adamawa State.

No fewer than 16 others are believed to be missing in Borno, it was learnt.

Emerging details of the attacks indicated that the insurgents issued three warning letters to Kawuri community before they struck last Sunday, a survivor, Mallam Mohammed Tukur, said.

Tukur said the assailants also destroyed houses, mosques and a market square, adding that they operated for six hours before troops arrived.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima was in Kawuri yesterday, amid tight security, for on-the-spot assessment.

He saw the over 200 destroyed homes that were and promised to rebuild them. He also made financial pledge to the victims.

Shettima, who visited the village with a high-powered delegation, took with him a large amount of relief materials and foodstuff which he distributed to affected residents.

Addressing residents at the palace of the village head, he said the rebuilding of the destroyed village would be a priority.

He announced that each family member of the slain residents, would get N250,000 each, bringing the total cash donation to N21.25 million.

Shettima said about 1,500 units of food items and other relief materials would be distributed to the victims to alleviate the devastating effect of the attacks.

The relief materials include 600 bags of rice, 30 bags of beans, 300 bags of maize, and 200 of blankets, mats and cartons of Maggie cubes, drugs and hospital essentials for the community health centre.

The governor said: “All the 200 burnt houses, mosques and market are to be rebuilt.”

The rebuilding of the demolished houses, he said, began yesterday.

“I am also going to compensate for all the destroyed property in this village, but not the lives of 85 people destroyed by these insurgents. They are not true Muslims; They continue to destroy people’s lives and property, without any genuine cause. As long as the insurgents continue to destroy your houses and other property, the state government will also continue to rebuild them, as you have no other place to go; and live in this state.

“Security will be intensified in this village. We will deploy more troops and policemen, so that your lives and property are adequately protected from the insurgents.”

An official, Dala Lawan, put the death toll at 85.

Lawan said 53 bodies were given mass burial. He said more bodies were still being found, adding that some of the injured have died. He said no fewer than 40 people were injured.

Many lay in the hospital in Konduga, the main town in the area, nursing bullet wounds and burns.

Suspected Boko Haram members stormed the Kawuri village weekly market, Sunday night, setting off explosives, shooting people and razing homes.

Kawuri is about 70 kilometres southeast of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The death toll of the attack on the Catholic Church in Chakawa village, has risen to 53, Chairman of Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Mr Maina Ularamu, said yesterday.

Ularamu said local officials counted 47 bodies, including those of two policemen. Many injured people are in hospitals, he added.

The gunmen were armed with sophisticated weapons. They left after invading another border village, killing and maiming before fleeing to neighbouring Cameroun Republic.

A resident, who spoke anonymously, said he counted about 53 bodies before they were evacuated to the morgue.

Brigade Commander of the 23rd Armoured Brigade, Yola, Brig. Gen. Rogers Nicholas, said he was yet to ascertain the death toll. He said the impact of the attack was minimal, adding that the military is on top of things.

Residents said they were living in fear because more attacks could be launched.

The spokesman of the Catholic Diocese of Yola, Rev. Fr. Raymond Danbouye, also confirmed that dozens were killed and buried after a funeral on Monday.