Crime News
Boko Haram & JTF Fight In Borno State Killed 185; Over 2000 Houses Destroyed
April 22, 2013 – Boko Haram & JTF Fight In Borno State Killed 185; Over 2000 Houses Destroyed
Over 185 people including women and children were reported to have been killed by either gunshots or fire after suspected Boko Haram gunmen engaged soldiers of the Joint Task Force in a deadly shootout that left the commercial border town of Baga in Borno State completely burnt down.
Local government officials, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES, said 185 persons died, at least 2000 houses, 64 motorcycles and 40 cars were burnt in the wake of the attack.
The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, visited the town on Sunday and was told by residents that soldiers were responsible for the torching of houses that led to the death of many.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that scores of others are currently hospitalised with various shades of burnt injuries.
Residents said most casualties, especially the aged ones and children, died as a result of the conflagration that engulfed the entire town.
Governor Kashim Shettima, who visited the town on Sunday, became emotionally drenched at the sight of charred houses,vehicles and how homeless residents took refuge in the bush.
The Commander of the Task Force, Brigadier General Austin Edokpaye, explained that the fire that consumed the town and resultant deaths should be blamed on the Boko Haram terrorists who opened fire on soldiers while hiding in the mix of civilians.
A local trader in Baga told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack started at about 8 p.m. on Friday and was continued the next day.
“Only God can understand what we have done to deserve this. But the soldiers were mindless that night in their approach; they killed and burnt our houses, chased everyone into the bush including women and children. So far we have buried 185 corpses. – some were burnt beyond recognition; others are hospitalised with various degrees of burnt,” said the resident who begged to remain anonymous.
Governor Shettima who drove through the burnt town amidst heavy motorcade of security personnel condemned the incident which he said was a ‘nasty occurrence’.
At the town’s hospital, the governor had to commiserate with women, children and aged men receiving treatment for various degrees of burnt caused by the fire.
Bashir Isa, a grocery merchant, told PREMIUM TIMES that “everyone has been in the bush since Friday night; we started returning back to town because the governor came to town today.
“To get food to eat in the town now is a problem because even the markets are burnt. We are still picking corpses of women and children in the bush and creeks.”
Brigadier General Edokpaye denied allegations by residents that the shootout was unprovoked.
“We lost an officer during the attack on our men on patrol. We’ve received an intelligence that some suspected Boko Haram members usually pray and hide arms at a particular mosque in town. It was around that mosque that our men were attacked with several of them injured and an officer died.
“When we reinforced and returned to the scene, the terrorists came out with heavy firepower including RPGs which usually has a conflagration effect,” the army chief said.
Governor Shettima pleaded with fleeing residents to return to their burnt homes as a committee had been empannelled to provide a palliative compensation for the loss they suffered.
He also called on the commander to “take full charge” of his operation and ensure he personally supervises his field officers from time to time “in order to avert such nasty incidences in the future.”
[Source: PREMIUM TIMES]
ojeski
April 22, 2013 at 5:29 PM
what a lawless country we have ‘NIGERIA’
may almighty god see us through
Springtech
April 22, 2013 at 6:28 PM
God let thine kingdom come. We are tired of this mess. All we ask for is LET YOUR WILL BE DONE here in Nigeria.
tina
April 22, 2013 at 7:18 PM
Wen it happened in jos who talk those people in d town r protecting d terroists so dats wat u gt 4 protectn thieves.soldiers dey try.anywia una sight dose killers called boko kill dem all wetin u no go rest 4 hausa people 4 dis country dia own too much.may d innocent souls rest in peace.and as 4 jonathan anyday wey him declare amnesty dat die he will die.
Luv
April 22, 2013 at 7:23 PM
They are talking of Amnesty and they are still killing innocent soul. Is dat how d amnesty will start? Northern leaders why? God have mercy on us.
Chinny
April 22, 2013 at 8:17 PM
see the people Jonathan wants to give amnesty to! Why won’t bokoharam and other terrorists become more courageous since after wasting lives and properties they’ll get compensation for “job well done”, while the victims become losers and cowards for being law abiding. I’m ashamed of being a Nigerian.
Amara
April 22, 2013 at 8:36 PM
If the residence want freedom and peace they should not hide any of these undesirable elements . They have to report them to the JTF for to round them up.
allay fidget
April 22, 2013 at 10:26 PM
Bravo to JTf. You’ll see that this so call Boko Haram will be scared. Now that they can see people that there is “blood in their eyes”
Prince Raphael Felix
April 23, 2013 at 12:00 AM
Is high time they embrace Christianity n western education. Really they need Bible n not quran, cos quran is responsible for terrorism al over the world. Hahahahahaha illiteracy is disease, killing to go heaven or virgins hahahaha this is ridiculous n northern politicians are exploiting the situation. JTP go ahead pls, I luv the job.
Agbeni dav
April 23, 2013 at 5:53 AM
Its sad seeing dat am a nigerian… God should make war against us and wipe off nigeria 4rm among d oda countries.. Woe unto our leaders.
toyin
April 23, 2013 at 9:34 AM
U̶̲̥̅̊’re very stupid slave felix or wat do U̶̲̥̅̊ call ur name. Quran is nt responsible 4 any incessant killing or terrorism. Islam is a̶̲̥̅̊ll about peace. Those people D̶̲̥̅̊ªτ̲̅ dey think dey’re killing 4 ALLΑ̲̅Ђ seek will surely go 2 hell fire. If U̶̲̥̅̊ don’t know wat 2say U̶̲̥̅̊ better keep quite. FOOL. Kudos JTF…
Ameena
April 23, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Prince idiot or what do u call urself! Even d bible says u should leave judgement to God, who ar u to speak evil of another religion? Was d Quran written by u? Pls shut ur mouth if u hav notin reasonable to say.
Desmond Efoli
April 23, 2013 at 11:07 AM
The ant dat eat’s up d leaf lives within d leaf. J.T.F more grease to ur elbow. Since d northern leaders has bluntly refused to put an end of their evil conspiracy wit d Boko Haram Sect, then they wil continue to see their people die day by day. 9ice one JTF.
Desmond
April 23, 2013 at 2:17 PM
I LOVE YOU JTF. Infact this is just wat we need for this Northerners. Since you said you dont like peace, YOU SHALL NEVER NO PEACE. This is the anger of God upon you Northerners for all the christians you’ve killed in Northern states over years. JTF KUDOOOOOOOS!
Rik
April 23, 2013 at 4:13 PM
Where do these radical Islamists get weapons from? We don’t manufacture guns in Nigeria. So the guns must be coming across our borders. Why Jonathan should instruct customs to start checking everything that comes into the country.
Also, who funds them? Saudi, Iran, etc. We can go after those funding sources too.
Mae
April 24, 2013 at 1:03 PM
JTF,keep it up! Boko haram must surely go down! But 4 d innocent souls,r.I.p…
peace maker
April 24, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Jonathan shld instruct customs to start checking any contaner that enters the country.
kennie
June 2, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Its Sad to see innocent people caught in the middle….Islam has got nothing to do with this kind of barbaric act perpetrated by SO CALLED BOKO HARAM AGAINST NIGERIANS IN NIGERIA….Its a shame Northern Leaders are just silent watching these Bastards take our sovereignty for granted.
mrs ohio
September 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM
I do not see why people open their teeth, but all of you believe in heaven, and you say heaven is a peaceful place to be , Boko is trying to show you all what you preach, what all religion believed that , heaven is the best peaceful place ,and i think soon or later , the people who have been there will come back to tell us how the place look like , all the religion are violent and they are the one destroying this world . it is time to tell people to keep their believe in their pocket , whatever you believe in , let it be your business. and whatever you believe in , will not make God divide the sky , we will always be under the same sky.