B/Haram burns church, houses in Borno

Boko Haram terrorists yesterday attacked Shikarkir community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, burning a church and houses.

The attack occurred barely 24 hours after the terrorists had invaded another Chibok village, Bazir, where they killed two people and burnt a church.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, ASP Nahum Daso, only confirmed the attack on Bazir to Daily Trust and said he was yet to receive any information regarding the incident at Shikarkir.

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On 12 th January, 2025, at about 2am Boko Haram attacked Chibok community, Bazir Village and killed 2 people, raze over 30 houses, and AYN church.

“Normalcy has been restored, security beefed up and the CP detailed our men on ground on intelligence gathering to come up with an assessment report, while collaborating with other security operatives to ensure safety and security for all,” he said.

A victim, whose house was set ablaze, Mallam Daniel Shikarkir, said his aged parents escaped unhurt.

“Few days ago, a similar incident wreaked havoc in the neighboring village and displaced the whole community, now taking refuge in safer locations,” he said.

Mr Paul Mauntah Yaga, wrote on his social media page, said there is deteriorating security situation in Chibok LGA of Borno State.

“The recent attacks by Boko Haram have left our community in a state of fear and uncertainty.

“On January 2, 2025, Boko Haram attacked Njiland, and unfortunately, the attacks have continued unabated.

“On January 12, 2025, they attacked Bamzir, killing two youths and injuring a woman as well as burning down houses, shops and the EYN church,” he said.

He said the latest attacks on two communities of Njiland and Shikarki were worrisome.

“Despite the presence of over 1,000 army personnel and 500 local vigilantes in Chibok Town, these attacks have been able to occur with alarming frequency.

“More needs to be done to ensure the safety and security of our community.l We are calling on our leaders, especially President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the Executive Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, our Senator representing Southern Borno, Mohammed Ndume, and the House of Representatives member, Hon. Usman Jaha Babawo and security agencies to take immediate action to address this situation.

“We urge them to deploy the army and local vigilantes to surround the villages in Chibok Town, to provide adequate protection to our people.

“The people of Chibok are no longer safe in their community, and it is the responsibility of our leaders to ensure that we are protected. We have a right to live in peace and security, and we urge our leaders to take all necessary steps to guarantee this right,” said.

Slain Borno farmers’ bodies yet to be recovered

Meanwhile, the bodies of the 40 farmers that were killed on Sunday by Boko Haram terrorists at Dumba community in Bagam Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, are yet to be recovered, Daily Trust learnt yesterday.

Sources, who spoke to our correspondent yesterday, however, said the bodies had not been recovered because the military and the families of the victims could not access the place where the victims were killed.

One of the survivors, who refused to mention his name, said the only corpses recovered and buried were those of the injured victims that died while fleeing to Baga.

“Nobody went to recover or bury any corpses,” he said.

“Just like what happened last time when they killed over 30 fishermen in similar circumstances, they (terrorists) caught some people and forced them to bury the rotten corpses,” he added.

Another resident of Baga, who also asked not to be named, said many victims of the attack are still missing.

“Those who made it out of the place kept asking about their relatives, insisting that they escaped together with them from Dumba, but got separated along the way,” he said.

He said a fighter jet of the Nigeria Air Force was sighted hovering around Dumba yesterday but “could still not access the area where the farmers were killed.”

Meanwhile, the military has rescued 271 of the farmers that survived the attack, according to security and local sources who spoke to Daily Trust yesterday.

One of the sources, Auwal Isa, said the military yesterday went on a patrol that lasted more than six hours to rescue the escapees.

“During the combined army amphibians and Navy rescue operations, which started in the afternoon up to the time we prayed Isha’i (night prayer), 271 people were rescued.

“However, the majority of these people were received at the fish dam gate while trying to enter the town. They also confirmed that over 1,000 were in the field when the incident happened.

“Based on the information coming from Dumba, the number of deaths reported is not close to reality. Over 100 people have lost their lives in that attack” he said.

When contacted through a text message on why the corpses of the slain farmers had not been recovered, the spokesman of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col. A.Y Jingina, said: “The incident happened in Sector 3, please find out from them”.

But the spokesman of Sector 3 could not be reached on his mobile telephone yesterday.