Panic swept through Malari community in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State yesterday as suspected Boko Haram fighters staged a predawn raid, whisking away two residents.
The insurgents, who stormed the community around midnight, were said to have arrived on motorcycles and operated for about 30 minutes before encountering stiff resistance from a police crack team deployed to the area. Their pushback reportedly prevented the attackers from overrunning the entire settlement.
Confirming the incident to PUNCH Online, the Borno Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Nahum Daso, stated that no life was lost during the gun fire exchange between police operatives and the insurgents.
He said, “There was an attack around 12am this morning in Malari, Konduga Local Government Area.
The police crack team did a good work by preventing them from invading the town.
“From what I have currently, two men were abducted. I am still doing findings, when concluded, we will make public the comprehensive report.”
Daso, however, confirmed that no life was lost to the incident.
“On our part, we did not record any death and no police officer was injured,” he stated.
Residents who spoke with PUNCH Online described the operation as “coordinated,” noting that several families fled into surrounding bushes before security reinforcements arrived.
“From the information currently circulating in town, more than two persons were kidnapped because while disembarking, they passed through residential homes which we could not verify yet if they took people along with them from their homes,” the source said.
The attack occurred barely days after troops of Operation Hadin Kai rescued 12 teenage girls kidnapped in the Askira-Uba axis of the state.
A statement posted on the Army’s official Facebook page @ HQ Nigerian Army, about the rescued victims, stated that they were abducted on their family’s farmlands.
“They were freed on Saturday, 29 November, following a swift, intelligence-led operation by troops of Operation HADIN KAI in the southern Borno axis,” it noted.
The military listed the rescued victims to include Fatima Shaibu (17), Fatima Umaru (15), Hauwa Abubakar (18), Saliha Muhammed (15), Sadiya Umaru (17), Amira Babel (15), Zara Adamu (17), Nana Shaibu (15), Zainab Musa (18), Zainab Muhammed (17), Jamila Saidu (15) and Hauwa Hamidu (17).