There is panic in the Bura communities of Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State as the rampaging members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect attacked some people in the predominantly Christian communities.
The Baru speaking communities attacked by the insurgents are Shaffa and Tesan Aledeh.
A security source, who confided in one of our correspondents on Thursday, said the insurgents were exploiting the absence of soldiers in these communities.
The source said that some members of the sect invaded the Tesan Aledeh community and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the members of the community to convert to Islam or be wiped out.
The insurgents, who were said to have stormed Tesan Aledeh on Wednesday evening, allegedly killed a retired military officer before leaving the community.
They were said to have left for nearby Shaffa community where they killed a retired Army officer and a retired policeman bringing the number of those killed to three.
The source said that the Christian communities along the Biu-Hawul-Garkida-Mubi Road are now gripped with fear as there is a possibility that the insurgents will attack at the expiration of the ultimatum.
It was further said that some of the residents were fleeing the communities into nearby bushes in the night to escape being attacked by the insurgents.
The source added that the situation had become so alarming as the insurgents were openly addressing people and giving them stern warnings to remain alive only by converting to Islam.
The source stated, “The Boko Haram members have started focussing attention on Christian Communities in Southern Borno. On Wednesay, they attacked Tesan Alede and Shaffa, in Hawul Local Government Areas.
“They killed a retired police officer in Tasan Aledeh, gathered community members and told them to convert to Islam within 24 hours.
The insurgents had earlier attacked Debiro community in Biu where many buildings including some churches were burnt. [eap_ad_1] It was learnt that a former Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Maj. Gen. B.A Debiro, was among those displaced in the attack on Debiro which took place Saturday. The report could not be confirmed as of the time of filing this report
A source, who confided in one of our correspondents, said the insurgents stormed the community in two hilux jeeps and 20 motorcyles with each of the bikes carrying three fighters.
They were said to have moved straight to the resident of the District Head, Lawan Dauda Thlama, and ordered him to provide five young men for them to identify the homes of the over 2000 Christians in the community.
It was learnt that village head acceded to the order of the insurgents under duress while the Christians who got wind of the incident fled into the bush for safety.
It was stated that the insurgents embarked on the destruction of churches such as the EYN and the ECWA worship centres, the residence of the Pastor of the Deeper Life Bible Church, and all the residences of the Christians for the whole night.
It was stated that the traumatised people now had issues with feeding and accommodation and were crying to the Borno State Government for assistance.
However, the source said that two of the insurgents were arrested at Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State while three others were arrested at Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
Efforts to get the comments of the Defence Headquarters spokesman, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, was unsuccessful as calls to his mobile telephone did not go through. (Punch)
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