Tobias Sylvester
Recent reports from Maiduguri indicate that there have been fresh attacks by Boko Haram insurgents on residents of Jiddari Polo in Borno State.
The insurgents launched the attack a few hours after President Muhammadu Buhari paid a condolence visit to the people of the state over the recent killing of 30 persons.
KanyiDaily recalls that on Sunday, Boko Haram insurgents killed over 30 civilians and kidnapped many travellers who were stranded outside the military entrance city gate in Auno town, Konduga local government area of Borno state.
Buhari, upon returning from a five-day trip to Ethiopia for an African Union summit, paid a condolence visit to the state, following a recent Boko Haram attack in Auno.
During the visit, President Buhari assured the residents of Borno that military will work hard to ensure adequate security.
“I assure all Nigerians that we are taking steps to ensure improvement in security, nationwide. In Borno the military will work harder to deal with the insurgents. I am also appealing to community leaders and the populace to give our troops the intelligence and cooperation needed”, Buhari said.
I assure all Nigerians that we are taking steps to ensure improvement in security, nationwide. In Borno the military will work harder to deal with the insurgents. I am also appealing to community leaders and the populace to give our troops the intelligence and cooperation needed. pic.twitter.com/EKUGL0k6ik
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) February 12, 2020
Barely hours after Buhari left Maiduguri after the consolation visit, Boko Haram insurgents launched another attack on Jiddari Polo general area of the metropolis, as residents fled their homes into the heart of the city.
Jiddari Polo General Area is a densely populated area on the outskirts of the metropolis, close to the 21 Giwa Armoured Barracks.
A resident, Mallam Yusuf Unman, said: “Our community is currently under Boko Haram attack, there are deafening sounds of gunshots and explosions, but I was lucky to have mobilised my family and fled into the heart of the city to reunite with one of my relatives.”
Although the sounds of the gunshots subsided at 7:12pm, many residents who fled into the city were still stranded at press time.
One of the fleeing residents, Adamu Garba told newsmen at about 7:30pm, he sighted a large number of armed policemen, members of the civilian JTF with military troops heading towards the area of the attack as he struggled to enter the town with his family in his private car.
Meanwhile, KanyiDaily had reported that during Buhari’s condolence visit to Maiduguri, he ran into a storm of angry residents who booed his convoy on his way to the Palace of the Emir of Borno.
We had published a video circulating on social media showeing hundreds of protesters including children on the road while the president’s convoy drove past.
The residents were heard shouting in Hausa “Bama so, Bama yi, ka samu a kunya.” Meaning “We don’t want you, we’re not interested because you have disappointed us.”
