Boko Haram: Terrorists attack Chibok 97 times since abduction of 276 School Girls- Locals

Boko Haram: Terrorists attack Chibok 97 times since abduction of 276 School Girls- Locals

By: James Bwala

The Talala and Ajigil axis of Damboa local government area of Borno state in northeast Nigeria is alledgedly said to be home to dreaded Boko Haram fighters. According to sources, these fighters have make camps in strategic places and coordinating the remaining strongholds of fighters within and around the dreaded Sambisa and Alagarno forests in southern part of Borno state. This makes it easier for them to attack any village or town especially Chibok where 276 School Girls were abducted on April 14, 2014.

Findings by NEWSng revealed that, there are at least (an estimation) over 6,000 or more Boko Haram foot soldiers operating within the Talala and Agijil axis. They often travelled around the southern Borno areas to cause havoc. One of the areas they frequently attack is Chibok local government area. There are many reasons according to the people as to why Chibok has continued to be the target. While others said they are coming to Chibok for food, others claimed they are bent on uprooting Chibok on religious ground. Whatever may be their reasons, people have continues to loose loved ones, food and properties and this has affected people of all faith. On Thursday 20^th January, 2022 there was another security breach in Chibok local government area of Borno state. 

Terrorist’s fighters suspected to be from the Islamic State for West African Province, ISWAP attacked Pemi ward, which is few kilometres outside of Chibok town. There are about six wards across Chibok local government with the same name ‘Pemi’ as called by the locals.

According to the locals, the Thursday last week attack was the 97^th time insurgents would be attacking Chibok and its environs since Boko Haram overran the area in 2014. That was the attack that also brought Chibok to limelight on international news. It was on April 14, 2014, when about 276 school girls were abducted from their hostels at a Government Secondary School in Chibok town.

NEWSng engages with some local residents recently, to find out about the lamentation of the people from Kautikari to Mife and Pemi. It was gathered that, most of the youths have fled the area. The town was left for the elderly to care for the children mostly orphaned by the insurgency.

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“Our young men have fled most of the villages to escape being conscripted into the ranks of the Boko Haram fighters. Currently a larger number of them have settled in Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt.

“A lot of them have not come back since they fled the insurgency. The reports of attacks would not let them. Some have managed to come but they would not stay back because of the continuing attack on Chibok. We have cried out many times for the government to come to our rescue but we received nothing despite the challenges and needs of our people who lost everything.” A local Sunday Mutah told NEWSng.

Also Speaking, Dr. Allen Manasseh, one of the sons of Chibok land, who had been in the forefront calling on National attention and government to deliver his people from the frequent attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP elements that lay siege to his beloved town. According to the member of the Oby Ezekwesili led Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG. Chibok town is a protected area but not Chibok local government area, which falls between the dreaded Sambisa and Alagarno forests in Borno state.

“There is a base, a Brigade, which is headed by a Brigadier General now in Chibok town.” Dr. Manasseh said, “But that is not to say that everything is fine. Our people are constantly under attack. Yesterday was Thursday. There was an attack at Pemi and I am still waiting to get the report on the extent of damage. These Insurgents after taking enough food items, they will burn down the remaining ones leaving the villagers to rot.

“The last time it was the son of the soil, General Dzarma Zirkushu who was killed in-between 15km of Chibok and Askira/Uba local government. During his time he was a vibrant General both for his duty as a soldier and for his people but yet in-between Chibok and Askira/Uba he fell by the bullets from the Insurgents.”

Speaking on why Chibok remains under constant attack by the insurgents either from the Boko Haram, JAS or the Islamic State for West African Province, ISWAP he said, ” This is not because the military is not doing well but this is about few soldiers trying to protect a large area with larger enemies or rather larger army from the Insurgents side. 

“It is rather unfortunate for our military that Chibok is situated between two dangerous forests. The terrorists have a route from Sambisa to Alagarno through Chibok villages. The Insurgents have continued to attack villages in Chibok town because of their proximity to these two evil Forests. Today, if they did not attack Kautikari, they will attack Mife or Pemi and it goes like that. Most of the time they do this unchallenged.

“Damboa local government area is all forest like Askira/Uba local government. Chibok local government lies in the center with both Damboa and Askira/Uba currently housing thousands of Terrorists in hundreds of camps. If you talk to our people about these all they will tell you is that only God can save the situation. I have done a lot on this you know and it is making me feel sick because it was as if both the government at state level and national have abandoned the people of Chibok to fate.

“The Damboa, Biu road which was abandoned for a long time is the Insurgents crossing point to either Alagarno or Sambisa and Chibok may just happen to be an unfortunate location. The whole of Chibok is a farming community. So, it is like the food Barn for the Insurgents that each time they are in need they come for it.” He said.

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Also while speaking on the abduction of the 276 Chibok girls, Dr. Allen Manasseh said, one hundred and ten (110) are still in captivity. According to him, Chibok people, concerned Nigerians and members of the BBOG have not stopped their calls on this regime to do the needful and rescue the remaining girls in captivity.

“We shall not get tired of doing the right thing in the face of mountains of challenges. Unfortunately most of our challenges are coming from the same government, which promises to ensure the return of these girls. But we shall remain a constant reminder to them that some people have not let sleep overtake them as they stood for these Chibok girls and many others still in Boko Haram custody until they are brought back and reunited with members of their families.” Dr. Allen Manasseh said.

Speaking on the continuing breach of security in and around Chibok town, a Security source told NEWSng on Saturday that the fight in the northeast region is not only a physical fight but an ideological one.  “Unless the government and religious leaders come in to disabuse the mind of some of these fighters and make them understand that they are not doing well for their country and also tell them the religious wrong in their message, I am afraid we will continue to fight in the northeast for a while.

“Security breach is not only about Chibok everywhere that we have been fighting in the northeast have experienced this. Also there are saboteurs, who want this conflict to continue for their own benefit. Why Chibok? I can tell you that Chibok is one of the areas that have a lot of hiding places because of the rocks and mountains as well as caves. I never knew Chibok has some of the caves I have seen in other places until work brought me here. Also you look at the distance between Chibok and Gwoza, Askira/Uba and Damboa. Being close to Chibok makes it more vulnerable to attacks because all these areas have camps housing terrorist.” He said.  

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“Attacks in Chibok may not end soon.” Sunday Mutah told NEWSng. “This is just the truth. We have been saying it. A lot of write ups have been made. People have come all the way from distant places to interview us in Chibok. Media people have been writing and we have been reading but this government turns deaf ears to our cry”. He lamented

On the military intervention, Soldiers and frontline fighters have told NEWSng that they have lost men around the Chibok axis in trying to ensure that they keep the insurgents away from the town. “Chibok has become an area of concern to the government. We on our part are doing what we know how best to do to prevent recurrence of attack in this area. But this kind of warfare with its primitive approaches has limited our abilities to make the kind of improvement the people are expecting to see. We are not blaming their reactions to every attack and they cannot understand what we are doing to have the peace being enjoyed here even as it is.” A source in the military said.

Attempts by NEWSng to speak to the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu could not yield result as he could not answer his calls on Saturday evening; However, Sources in Chibok said the situation is still tense as people in Pemi continued to count their losses after the attack on Thursday.

Boko Haram: Terrorists attack Chibok 97 times since abduction of 276 School Girls- Locals