No fewer that 14 members of the youth vigilance group, otherwise known as “Civilian JTF”, were killed in Benishiek, 72 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital, early yesterday.
No fewer than 18 other members of the “Civilian JTF” were injured.
A Special Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima, Mr. Garba Ngamdu, confirmed the killings in the town, which is the headquarters of Kaga Local Government Area.
It was gathered that the ‘Civilian JTF’ killed five Boko Haram sect members and seized four Pump Action guns from them.
Ngamdu was at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) where the 18 civilian JTF men who sustained gunshot wounds were receiving treatment.
The killings followed the attack on the sect’s hideout by the newly created 7 Division of the Army in Borno during which no fewer than 50 members were killed.
“The youths in Benishiek lost 13 of their members; 12 died when they were ambushed around 12.30am and one died in the hospital when doctors were carrying out a surgery to remove bullets from his stomach.
“The youths had privileged information that the insurgents were perfecting plans to attack them; they then mobilised and informed the military operatives in the locality.
“However, somewhere along the line, the insurgents learnt that information about their imminent attack was leaked. They then changed their strategy. When they (attackers) went to Benishiek, they divided themselves into two groups. The first group attacked the military formation on the outskirt of the town and the second group took cover.
“On hearing sounds of gunshots, the youth vigilance members moved in a direction the insurgents ambushed, which led to the death of 12 of their members on the spot,” he said.
Speaking on his hospital bed, Mohamed Abuwar, one of the leaders of the “Civilian JTF” in Benishiek, said the terrorists wanted to sack the community, adding: “We successfully repelled the attack because they wanted to kill all of us and our parents. We mobilised to the outskirts of the town and stopped them from gaining access.”
Another injured member of the group Zanna Fannami, who is injured said: “The terrorists are angry with us and want to discourage us…there is no going back; we have taken our destiny in our hands.
“If I survive the injuries I sustained, I will continue struggling.”
The spokesman of the newly created 7 Division of the Army, Lt Col Sagir Musa, could not be reached for comments.
The road linking Maiduguri from Benishiek has been closed down by military operatives who are said to be combing the bush to apprehend suspects.
It is the major road that links Borno with Bauchi, Kano and Abuja.
Culled from The Nation newspaper
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