Survivors of Maiduguri attacks tell the story of horror
Maiduguri— SOME survivors and residents of Maiduguri, Borno
State capital, yesterday, recounted their experience and narrow escape from
death, when about 300 Boko Haram insurgents armed with sophisticated weapons
invaded the state capital targeting military formations and police stations,
Monday.
When Narrating his ordeal to Vanguard, Mallam Yakubu Gashua, who resides few metres away from the destroyed 79 Composite Group, Nigerian Air force Base, NAF, said: “I thought my days on earth was over on that day.“My wife and I were in bed and all of a sudden, I started hearing heavy sounds of gunshots, as if it was in my compound. We immediately woke up and started reciting some protective verses in the Quran.“The gunshots became more intense with ceaseless explosions all over the place.“At a point I told my wife and my uncle, who came from Gashua for a visit, that our days have ended.
“I said, who is going to take care of my two little children who are still writing their exams in a boarding school in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital? But thank Allah for sparing all of us.
”A neighbour of the two slain brothers that lived opposite the NAF main gate, which was the first port of call of the terrorists, said that the attackers, who arrived the base around 4am, called for Subhi prayers in a nearby mosque before they started chanting Allahu Akbar (God is Great).
“The terrorists entered the compound and saw a Toyota hilux loaded with bags of beans, and they asked my deceased neighbour to provide the keys of the loaded vehicle to them.“When he said the keys were with the driver somewhere else, they immediately opened fire on him. His brother was ambushed at his patent medicine store around 7am a few metres away from the NAF main gate and was killed.”Another resident close to the NAF base said:
“When I heard a strange voice close to our mosque, I asked myself who are these people calling for Subhi prayers?“I peeped outside just to see what was happening, and when I discovered that the voice is a strange one, I quickly went back home.“Later, we went to the mosque and performed our prayers with my deceased neighbours who were killed after the prayers.
”‘We hid in a septic tank’Narrating how his two neighbours were killed in their house, he said: “We didn’t know that the terrorists were the ones calling for the Subhi prayers.“We performed our pre-dawn prayers successfully and as we were about to enter our house, we started hearing the sounds of gunfire, explosives and bombs inside the NAF premises.
“The sound of the explosives was even shaking our houses, which now have cracks after the multiple explosions inside the NAF Base.“In fact, I had to quickly hide myself with my wife and two of my little children inside an abandoned soak-away toilet in the compound for over two hours.”
Mallam Abba Usman, who resides in Mwaramti village, opposite the
33 Artillery Regiments, which was not left out of the devastating attacks,
said: “The terrorists were very active and brave, as they stopped and picked
dead bodies of their members.”
The attacks took Maiduguri residents by surprise. The area,
which is the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency had in the past six months
witnessed relative peace following the emergence of vigilante youths, popularly
addressed as Civilian JTF, as well as the successful destruction of their
operational base in Bullabulin Nganaram, a suburb of Maiduguri.
Intelligence report ignored
Although, unconfirmed reports said there was an intelligent
report made available to the security operatives in the state that Book Haram
terrorists were advancing towards Maiduguri city from the Sambisa Game Reserve
Forests and that if it is true, the attacks will be deadly, the security
agencies allegedly ignored it.
The attacks were said to have been coordinated and led by two
women commanders, leading to the death of several people including the terrorists
and security agents.
Nigerian Air Force Base offices, staff quarters, club house and
five aircraft were completely burnt down.
Residents said what happened in Maiduguri, a city which had
witnessed relative peace for the past six months calls for serious concern of
government and the people of Borno State.
During the attacks, residential buildings such as semi-detached
bedroom flats and offices with staff quarters newly built by the Borno State
Government at the 33 Artillery Regiment base were completely razed by the
terrorists.
The area accommodates hundreds of JTF operatives and the
Divisional Police Station in Gomari Airport Ward of the metropolis and 50
military vehicles .
Fighter jet intervenes
Vanguard gathered that but for the intervention of the jet
fighter from Yola, Adamawa State capital, the casualty figures at the NAF base
would have been higher.
The jet assisted in dislodging the terrorists, who fled towards
Beneshiekh-Damaturu Federal Highway.
Spokesman of the 7 Division, Colonel Mohammed Dole confirmed the
multiple attacks and killings by the terrorists.
In a press statement, Dole said: “In the early hours of Monday
December 2, Boko Haram terrorists attempted to gain access to military locations
in Maiduguri metropolis.
“However, troops of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, have
successfully repelled the insurgents and afflicted serious casualties on them.
“The situation around Jimtilo and Maiduguri International
Airport General areas are now calm and under control. Our troops supported by
Nigerian Air force aircrafts are presently pursuing the terrorists towards the
Maiduguri-Beneshiekh- Damaturu road.
“Members of the general public are requested to remain calm and
comply with the 24 hours curfew imposed by the Borno State Government. The
curfew will be reviewed periodically as the situation improves.”
In the interview with journalists at the Government House,
Colonel Dole, who did not give further details on the number of casualties from
the side of the military or the terrorists, insisted that military troops were
able to inflict serious casualties on the terrorists.
Sources at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital said,
they saw several dead bodies in military and police uniforms being conveyed to
the mortuary in the morning of the day of the attacks, but could not know
whether they were real security agents, as the terrorists also used military
and police uniforms during attacks.
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