BOKO HARAM KILLED 5, INJURIED SCORES, SEVEN OTHERS STILL MISSING IN MMUMBE VILLAGE, FEW KILOMETERS AWAY FROM MAIDUGURI TOWN.

At least four women and one other person were confirmed dead with scores injured at the weekend when a group of Boko Haram terrorists, who rode in 10 bicycles from Sambisa forest invaded Mairi Mmumbe village near Dalori District of Konduga local council of Borno State Vice Chairman of the Civilian JTF in charge of Konduga, Mallam Ahmed Tijjani, said yesterday that the insurgents who stormed the village at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday also burnt down houses, leaving hundreds of residents displaced. Our correspondent, who accompanied the senator representing Borno Central, Kaka Bashir Garbai, and other lawmakers who paid a sympathy visit to the areas affected, observed that the entire village was razed. Dalori District, which is South-East and 10kms drive from Maiduguri, suffered the same calamity when a group of armed insurgents invaded the community last Saturday and killed over 150 residents, with scores injured before setting homes in the community ablaze. This is even as the insurgents attacked a group of firewood traders in Jawu village, about eight kilometres from Auno town of Kondiga, west of Maiduguri. According to Modu Mai Ali, a relation to one of the affected victims, the firewood traders numbering about 15 were on their way to purchase wood from the forest for onward delivery to Maiduguri when the insurgents from Sambisa Forest laid an ambush and opened fire, leaving five persons dead. Sources said the fresh attack on Mbube Mairi village involved about 30 insurgents who descended on the villagers from different directions and wreaked havoc without confrontation. Modu Malaram, an Islamic cleric and father of seven in the deserted village said, ““We just finished the night prayers and I was listening to local news on radio when suddenly, some strange men approached our home and started firing in all directions. ““How we managed to escape still remained a mystery to me and my family but I lost my Arabic student who was the only one shot dead by the insurgents while the four other women the community lost were burnt beyond recognition in their huts.”” Another victim, Aisami Makinta remarked that, ““the attack was the second on the village in less than three months and this time it was very devastating ””. Makinta who looked visibly worried said, ““we have nowhere to go now””. Asked if there was any response from security operatives, the residents angrily said, ““no one came to assist us that night and only this morning the military came in a Hilux van challenging us for not calling them on phone””. Adam Musa who couldn’’t conceal his anger queried, ““How can the security operatives say they did not hear sound of gunshots when we are just a few kilometres away from Dalori? ““We are just at the mercy of God and only He can save us.”” Our correspondent who visited the area yesterday afternoon saw most residents of the affected community and the adjoining settlements migrating in droves towards Maiduguri for safety. Senator Garbai condemned the incidents and called on the military to re-strategise in order to adequately secure lives and property ““I am using this opportunity to call on our security operatives to tighten up their belts, or else the whole people of the state will be consumed by these miscreants,”” Garbai lamented. Similarly, a relative of one of the affected victims of the firewood traders around Auno Forest attack, Mallam Ali Dunoma said, ““Usually we get our firewood for commercial purposes from the forest for storage at Ndollori, though we live in nearby Sajeri, around Ajilari Cross area. So, on Monday morning my cousin, Abba, informed me of his plan to join other members of the firewood trade to Jawu and I wished them luck. ““Unfortunately, we were at the railway track around 9 in the morning when they went and I even exchanged banters with some of them. I could count about 15 of them. At about 3 p.m., news reached us that the firewood traders were attacked and I rushed home, only to be told that eight among them escaped while, about seven others including my cousin are still missing.””