- Red Cross distributes food to 25,000 in Rann
Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Eight persons were killed and several women and children abducted by suspected members of Boko Haram terrorists from Dzaku village in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to residents of the village, the terrorist invaded the area on Monday evening, killing, carting away women and children including food stuffs.
One of the indigenes of the village, Amos Ali, who resides in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said some of his relatives who fled to seek refuge with him, said some terrorists who came into Dzaku in two Toyota Hilux vehicles were armed with AK47 rifles and petrol bombs. He added that they wreaked havoc without confrontation.
Ali who said one of his sister was among those abducted by the attackers, lamented that “because of lack of telecommunication service, we later received a distress call from our community yesterday that Boko Haram sect attacked our people and killed eight before abducting several others including my sister.
He added: “We are much worried especially now that the military said it has eliminated the terrorists from the region.”
Askira Uba is in Southern Borno senatorial district and about 180kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital, that is believed to be the birthplace of Boko Haram and had witnessed series of deadly attacks from the sect in the last six year.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Isuku, said he was yet to be informed of the incident but promised that he would get back on getting details from the area.
Meanwhile, following the accidental bombing by the Nigerian Air Force on an internally displaced persons camp (IDP) last week, which led to the death of over 200 persons, the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) has distributed food items to over 25,000 people in Rann, Borno State, where the incident occurred.
The Red Cross has remained undeterred by the unfortunate incident, despite losing six of its staff.
It returned a few days later to continue humanitarian services in Rann and after three days was able to provide succour to more than 25,000 people in the town, which recently buried 234 persons lost in the incident.
The Red Cross, in a statement yesterday by its communications coordinator, Aleksandra Mosimann said: “More than 25,000 people in Rann received food during three days of distribution by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that ended on Monday.
“The recipients received rice, beans, oil, salt and corn soya blend in quantities that should last for five weeks. The distribution was carried out by the ICRC and community volunteers.”
Mosimann also quoted the Red Cross’ economic security coordinator, Mohammed Sheikh-Ali as saying that “people in Rann were happy to receive food”.
“They have been isolated by rains and poor quality roads since June and running very low on food supplies,” the Red Cross’ coordinator added.
Sheikh-Ali said: “At the beginning of January, we laid sand bags on the road for our trucks to be able to cross. We got 12 trucks full of food to Rann last week on the day of the airstrike, which prevented us from distributing the items.
“As soon as medical evacuations were over, we organised the distribution with the help of the community.”
Last week’s airstrike killed and wounded scores of people, including 20 aid workers from the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
