Boko Haram members kill another 18 in Borno

Boko Haram members

Suspected members of Boko Haram sect again attacked Alau Ngawo Fatie village in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, killing 18 people, late on Sunday.

The attack came few days after members of the violent Islamic sect laid siege on a fishing border community of Gashigar and slaughtered over a dozen persons.

The incident has forced an exodus of residents of the community to neighbouring Republic of Niger.

The attack on Alau Ngawo Fatie occurred at about 10pm on Sunday night. The village head of Alau, Bulama Ibrahim Alau, who spoke to journalists on phone, said, “The Boko Haram insurgents came and launched the attack at about 10pm, shooting people and burning houses. They were in the village operating for nearly two hours without any security personnel coming to the aid of the villagers”

“I personally counted 18 bodies of victims, made up of men, women and children after the Boko Haram members had left the village. Most of those who survived the attack have fled the village as they do not know if they will be attacked again in the future.”

Asked if he knew why Alau was singled out for the attack of the insurgents, Bulama Ibrahim said, “I think they attacked us because our youths have joined the Civilian JTF.” Another resident of the village, Mustapha Galtimari, who was a former councillor in Jere local government, confirmed that 18 bodies were counted by the villagers after the siege by the members of the sect.

He alleged that several calls were made to security operatives without response as they were left at the mercy of the assailants for about two hours. A source at the Public Relations Department of the Borno State Police Command told our correspondent on Monday that the command was “yet to receive any report of this incident but we shall furnish you with details anytime we receive the report.”

The spokesman of 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Col Muhammadu Dole, confirmed to our correspondent on the phone that there was an attack.

 “Yes there was an attack on Alau but we don’t have the details yet,” he said.