Residents Flee as Boko Haram Attacks Borno Village

Hundreds of residents, mostly women and children, yesterday reportedly fled into Maiduguri, Borno state capital, following attacks on their village, Judumri by suspected Boko Haram gunmen.

Judumri is a village on the outskirt of the city.

Eyewitnesses said residents of the city heard sporadic gunshots on Saturday evening as Muslims were concluding their prayers.

However, hours later, men, women and children began to flock into the Maiduguri city centre on foot, fleeing the attack by Boko Haram.

When asked why they were fleeing, they said that their villages were being attacked by Boko Haram.

One of the panic-stricken villagers said: “It started at about 6.30 p.m. when we began to hear heavy sounds of shooting coming from the bush area behind our community which is not far away from the Federal High Court.

“Initially we thought of running into our houses but soldiers guarding the parapets asked everyone to leave at once. That was why we had to leave en masse.”

Most of the fleeing residents said they would have to pass the night on the streets, despite the chilling harmattan.

The attacked location which is popularly known as Polo Area, has suffered repeated Boko Haram attacks in recent months.

However, several military and police trucks filled with armed personnel were seen driving at top speed towards the attacked location later Saturday evening.

In another development yesterday, the Nigerian Army has announced Benson Akinroluyo, a major general, as the new theatre commander for operation Lafiya Dole.

Lafiya Dole is the military operation set up to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the north-east. Akinroluyo is replacing Abba Dikko who had spent only three months as the theatre commander.

In a statement signed on Saturday by Texas Chukwu, the army spokesman, the redeployment, affecting 103 officers across army formations, is aimed at injecting new hands to further actualize the vision of Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff.

“Those affected in the redeployment include; The Commander Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE Major General Abba Dikko who moves to the Department of Civil Military Affairs as the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, Major General Jamil Sarham to remain in Headquarters 6 Division as the General Officer Commanding/Land Component Commander, Major General Nuhu Angbazo now moves to Headquarters 3 Division as the General Officer Commanding while Major General Benson Akinroluyo redeployed from Headquarters 3 Division to Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE as Commander,” the statement read.