Boko Haram Terrorists Kill 30, Abduct Women And Children In Fresh Borno Attack

Armed men, suspected to be members of the ISWAP and Boko Haram terror group, Sunday night, attacked Auno, in Borno State.

According to an eye witness report, the insurgents invaded the community around 10:00 p.m., abducted a number of women and children, and also killed at least, 30 people and destroyed 18 vehicles.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, accompanied by the Garrison Commander 7 Div. Nigerian Army, on Monday morning, visited Auno, a town 24 km away from Maiduguri the capital of Borno State.

The Governor sympathized with the victims and assured them of his and President Buhari’s administration’s commitment towards ending the war.

However, the military authority and the Police are yet to make a statement to the effect. However, those who followed the governor and other security sources confirmed that aside from the 30 people that were killed in the attack, the insurgents also abducted passengers in three buses.

Residents of the area told the governor that, when the insurgents stormed the area and started shooting, they all fled to the bushes only to return home this morning (Monday) to witness such devastation by the Boko Haram militants.

In a similar development, the Babagana Zulum led administration in Borno State has accused soldiers of leaving some residents of the state at the mercy of Boko Haram insurgents.

Speaking when he visited Auno, a town 20 kilometers from Maiduguri, Borno state capital, the governor alleged that soldiers meant to secure the community desert the people around 5 pm on a daily basis.

At least 30 persons were killed when Boko Haram insurgents attacked travelers in Auno on Sunday night.

Addressing Sunday Igbinomwanhia, garrison commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, at the scene of the incident on Monday, Zulum expressed concern that the army has not established a military base in Auno.

“We have to be brutal in telling the truth. I am pushed to the wall to say the truth. Since I was inaugurated as governor of Borno state, Boko Haram has attacked Auno six times. Another thing is that the military has withdrawn from Auno town,” he said raising his voice.

“I am not undermining the capacity of the military but we have made a repeated appeal for the military to establish their unit in Auno. They are here but as soon as it is 5 pm, they close the gate and lock the people and go back to Maiduguri. This is not right.”

The crowd which gathered at the scene cheered the governor as he spoke.  In his response, the army commander said the military is committed to the protection of lives and property in the state.

He said the troops were conducting clearance operations at other locations when the attack happened.

Igbinomwanhia said the military will not deliberately allow the people to be killed by insurgents, urging residents of the community to provide credible information to the troops in order to secure them.

In January, Zulum came down hard on soldiers manning Damaturu-Maiduguri road in the state, over an alleged case of extortion at a checkpoint.

He had accused them of exploiting the people they were meant to protect from Boko Haram.

“I’m going to report all of you in this unit… nobody can tolerate this. Boko Haram is attacking people and you are here collecting N1000 per car,” he had shouted at the top of his voice.