Suspected Terrorists Kill One, Burn Two Classroom Blocks In Borno

 

Police authorities in Borno State have confirmed an attack on Kautikari, a community near Chibok, the headquarters of Chibok Local Government Area, by suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram insurgents.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, told Channels Television via telephone that the attempted attack, which occurred on Saturday evening, was repelled by the Joint Task Force stationed in the area.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that there was an attempted attack on Kautikari community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State by suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday evening,” he said.

According to Daso, citing the Divisional Police Officer in Chibok, the attackers killed a 50-year-old man and set ablaze two classroom blocks before they were repelled by security operatives.

“According to the Divisional Police Officer in Chibok, the attackers succeeded in killing a 50-year-old man and set ablaze two blocks of classrooms in the community and were later repelled by the security operatives in the area,” he said.

The recent pockets of attacks on remote communities have become a source of concern, especially as the farming season has commenced.

Kautikari is located about 20 kilometres from Chibok, the headquarters of the local government area.

READ ALSO: Several Students Feared Abducted As Terrorists Attack School In Borno

The attack comes amid growing security concerns in the northeastern state, with schoolchildren abducted in a recent attack still in captivity.

On May 15, an unspecified number of students were reportedly abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents from Mussa-Biri Primary School and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

Channels Television gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of the day while the students were in class receiving lessons.

An eyewitness said the terrorists arrived on a large number of motorcycles shortly after troops on a routine patrol had left the area.

“The terrorists arrived on motorcycles and abducted an unspecified number of students in the Primary as well as the Junior Secondary School located in the Mussa-Biri community,” a local source said.

In response to the abduction, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Borno State staged a peaceful protest, demanding the release of the abducted pupils, students and teachers of Mussa Primary School and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area.

Leading the protesters to the Government House in Maiduguri, the union’s National Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Ibn-Tom, urged both the federal and state governments to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abductees.

He also called on the authorities to provide a safe and conducive learning environment in schools across the state.

“Today we are here at the Government House in Borno State to submit our letter, appealing to the government to do its best to rescue our learners and also create a safe environment where teaching and learning can continue to thrive in our communities.

“We are also appealing to the government to remove the fear in the minds of teachers and parents so that teaching and learning can take place under dignified conditions,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the state government, the Chief of Staff to Governor Babagana Zulum, Mustapha Malumbe, assured the protesters of the government’s commitment to strengthening security, not only in schools but across all sectors of the state.

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