Residents Flee as Boko Haram Attacks Borno Village

Tobi Soniyi

Hundreds of residents, mostly women and children, saturday 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.

It added that before the redeployment, the chief of staff had this week sent a goodwill message to the troops, congratulating them for their bravery, alertness and doggedness in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram terrorists.

“Others are Major General Victor Ezugwu from Depot Nigerian Army to Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO), Major General Adeyemi Adetayo from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) to Department of Army Standard and Evaluation as Director Procurement and Projects and Brigadier General Ifiok Obot redeployed from Headquarters Operation DELTA SAFE to Nigerian Army University Biu as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Military).

“Also affected in the redeployment are Brigadier General Olufemi Dada from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) as Director Combat Development, Brigadier General Solomon Udounwa redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Deputy Director Campaign planning, Brigadier General Adekunle Adesope from Department of Army Standard and Evaluation to the Office of the Chief of Army Staff as Acting Director in the Directorate of Audit and Financial Management, Brigadier General Caleb Dalhatu moves from Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre to Headquarters 81 Division Garrison as Commander, Brigadier General Abdu Hassan redeployed from Headquarters 2 Brigade to Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre as Chief of Staff (COS), Brigadier General Kabir Mukhtar from Headquarters 81 Division Garrison to Headquarters Department of Army Administration as Acting Director Manpower, Brigadier General Nasiru Jega redeployed to Headquarters 2 Brigade as Commander, Brigadier General Sani Mohammed moves from Department of Administration to Depot Nigerian Army as Acting Commandant, Brigadier General Kevin Aligbe is to remain in Headquarters 16 Brigade as Commander, Colonel Adamu Nura from Headquarters 21 Special Armour Brigade to Nigerian Army Armour School as Chief Instructor, Colonel Louis Lepdung redeployed from Headquarters 25 Task Force Brigade to Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre as Deputy Director Research and Development, Colonel Kingsley Umoh from Administration Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) to Defence Headquarters as Assistant Director Defence Information and Colonel Kayode Ogunsanya moves from Headquarters 3 Division Army Public Relations to Defence Headquarters Garrison Army Public Relations as Deputy Director Army Public Relations.”

Akinroluyo is the seventh officer redeployed to command the Lafiya Dole operation.