Boko Haram terrorists stormed a town in Borno state, majorly populated with Christians leaving at least seven people dead on Christmas Eve. They are reported to have also abducted a priest and looted supplies in the attack.
Abwaku Kabu, a militia leader gave an account of the incident saying the fighters in trucks and motorcycles stormed Pemi on Thursday, shooting “indiscriminately” and setting buildings on fire.
“The terrorists killed seven people, burnt 10 homes and looted food supplies that were meant to be distributed to residents to celebrate Christmas.” Kabu said.
In many parts of where jihadists and bandits attacks are rampant, communities have resorted for self-defence to armed vigilantes or militias, who work alongside the army.
The assailants, who drove from the group’s nearby Sambisa forest enclave, looted medical supplies from a hospital before setting it ablaze, the militia leader said, adding they also abducted a priest and burnt a church.
A body was found Friday morning, local community leader Ayuba Alamson said, raising the number of dead to seven.
The toll could rise as villagers fled into the bush during the attack and some people are still unaccounted for.
The village is located only 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Chibok, where Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls six years ago.
In relation, on Thursday, gunmen attacked another Christian community in Garkida, in neighbouring Adamawa state, looting drug stores and food supplies before torching homes. However, there were no reports of casualties from that attack.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had issued a warning Tuesday about planned attacks.
The DSS obliged Nigerians “to be extra vigilant and report strange movements”, while assuring that it was “collaborating with other sister agencies to ensure that adequate measures are put in place for protection of lives and property.”
President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement Thursday
“reiterated the promise of his administration to remain unyielding in confronting the Boko Haram insurgency as well as other forms of criminality.”
“For me, providing security for all residents in the country remains an article of faith,” Buhari said in a written Christmas message.
He urged citizens to volunteer “intelligence/information on activities of armed bandits, insurgents and other criminal elements within their communities in order to put an end to this blight.”
