Boko Haram step up attacks on farming villages surrounding Maiduguri forcing residents to flee

RESIDENTS of Molai village have flooded into the Borno State capital Maiduguri following a heavy gun duel between soldiers and Boko Haram fighters after the insurgents attacked the community over the weekend.

Only 4km from Maiduguri, Molai came under heavy attack with troops there caught off guard by Boko Haram but after the initial onslaught, the Nigerian Army rallied and sent in reinforcements. Molai was the only village in its axis where there has been no insurgent attack over the last two months as Dalori, Konduga, Dala Shuwa, Dala Karamsu, Mammanti and Zabarmari have all been attacked recently.

On Friday, insurgents invaded Gudumbali and Guzamala local government areas of the state, dislodging soldiers and carting away arms and ammunition Some of the soldiers caught unawares by the attack, are currently taking refuge at a military facility in Damasak, a nearby town.

After the Molai attack, on Saturday, about least 12 farmers were killed during an invasion on Zabarmari community. In what seem to be intensified attacks on farmers, Boko Haram insurgents have reportedly killed not less than 40 of them and destroyed more than 200 hectares of farmland over the last two months.

Audu Zabarmari, a local resident, said: “Boko Haram jihadists killed seven farmers in the Zabarmari rice farm on Saturday. We discovered additional five bodies yesterday and several other farmers are still missing.”

While the Nigerian military said it has intensified efforts to end the attacks, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi, Shehu of Borno, recently raised an alarm over the renewed Boko Haram siege. According to the monarch, the terrorists are now in control of a lot of towns and villages on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

Shehu El-Kanemi added: “Nobody can dare move out of Maiduguri by 10 kilometres without being confronted and attacked by Boko Haram. Quite a number of farmers are being killed and kidnapped on a daily basis around the Molai general area, which is just 10 kilometres away from the metropolis, along the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu Road.”

According to  the Nigerian Army, its troops at Gudumbali repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who disguised as civilians in internally displaced persons camps on Friday. Apparently, the terrorists took advantage of the ongoing distribution of relief materials by the Nigerian Army at Gudumbali and opened fire on the troops.

During the assault, trucks conveying the relief materials were set ablaze but the troops fought gallantly and inflicted heavy casualties on them, according to military sources. One soldier was killed during the encounter while another was wounded and a Cobra armoured personnel carrier and a truck belonging to the unit were damaged.