Terrorists kill pregnant woman, 7 others in Kaduna, Maiduguri

Written by Hassan Ibrahim and James Bwala

AGAIN, yet-to-be identified terrorists, on Wednesday night, invaded Madauchi village in Southern Kaduna, killing five peasants, including a pregnant woman.

Newsmen were told that the terrorists, suspected to be on a revenge mission, launched the attack on the village, in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the State.

Mr Musa  Gaiya, the district head of the area, said the killers launched an attack on the village at about 11.00 p.m and killed the pregnant woman and five others.
He said the killers shot and killed the peasants, burnt the bodies and fled into
the bush.

Reacting, the state governor, Patrick Yakowa, on Thursday, described the incident as unwarranted and a deliberate attempt to cause chaos, adding that the state government would not be deterred in its quest at ensuring a secured and united Kaduna State.

Yakowa said it was saddening, because the incident came in when concerted effort by the government, through the peace and reconciliation committee, was being made to entrench lasting and sustainable peace in the state.

In another development, people around Bolori, Jejeri, Ummarari and Kumshe wards of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, were in shock on Thursday afternoon, following a blast which was accompanied by sporadic gunshots.

A resident of Kumshe ward told the Nigerian Tribune that the explosion was around Bolori ward, adding that traders had to close their shops and run for safety when soldiers closed all roads leading to the area.

According to him, “we ran because usually, when something like this happens, before you know anything, there will be exchange of gunfire between Joint Task Force (JTF) and sect members; as such, it always results in the innocent being caught in a crossfire. At least, we have had so many experiences, therefore, we do not wait to be told to run.”

Also speaking, a resident of Bolori, who identified himself as Munkaila Adam, told the Nigerian Tribune that for the past three days, soldiers had laid siege to the area and had arrested some persons suspected to be sect members in Bolori market.

Meanwhile, in Gwange ward of Maiduguri, gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect shot and killed three Igbo traders.
The area has since been deserted for fear of arrest and possible engagement in gun duel.

Attempt to confirm the incident and get official statement from either the JTF through Lieutenant-Colonel Sagir Musa or the Police Commisioner, Yuguda Abdullahi, failed at the time of filing this report.

The JTF has, however, said its operatives had launched an attack and killed the commander, commanding North-West and North-East of Maiduguri in an ongoing battle with the sect in some deadly black spots within Maiduguri and Jere local government areas of the state.

In a statement by the spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Lieutenant-Lieutenant-Colonel Musa, on Thursday evening, which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune, the JTF said it took the efforts of the combined troops of the joint task force operation restore order in Borno, 333 Air Defence Regiment, the Department of State Security Services (SSS), supported by Armoured Personnel Carriers and helicopters, to get at the top commander and his foot soldiers.

Musa also said the operation, which was conducted in the terrorists’ enclaves at Nganaram, Bulabulin and Bayan Quarters areas of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was a sustained follow-up operation on Thursday afternoon.

According to the JTF, “during the offensive and in a counter-attack, a major commander of the Boko Haram terrorists, Ibn Saleh Ibrahim, alongside some of his foot soldiers were killed by the JTF troops.”

Lieutenant-Colonel Musa also confirmed that, the late Ibrahim was confirmed to be responsible for the assassination of late Nigeria’s civil war hero, General Mamman Shuwa, who was killed at his resident in Gwange early this month.

Culled: Tribune