‘Military must compensate families of Borno carnage’

Military authorities must compensate families of those killed by Boko Haram terrorists at Auno village in Borno State on Sunday night, a former chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Kaka Bolori, said.

Bolori said there was no justification for the military to block the Damaturu-Maiduguri road, denied commuters passage, leaving them vulnerable to attack at night without any help from anywhere.

“It is unthinkable for the soldiers to ask hundreds of people to layover at Auno when everyone knows that that place is not safe.

“More widows and orphans have been created on that day. This sad event has further increased the humanitarian challenges our people are facing.

“The commanders that gave the directive for the travellers to be held hostage must be brought to book.

“In addition, the military must compensate families of the victims killed, must shoulder the bills of those injured and those who lost their valuables must also be paid.

“There is no wisdom in blocking highways and subjecting commuters to all kinds of dangers,” Bolori said.

At least 30 people including a baby and its mother, a female student of University of Maiduguri among others were killed by the assailants.

Some of the victims were burnt beyond recognition by the attackers.

Witnesses said the terrorists, suspected to be loyal to Abubakar Shekau, also abducted 22 people and burnt 18 vehicles and properties worth millions of naira.

Besides attacking the travellers, the insurgents also burnt shops and residential houses, witnesses said.

The onslaught on Auno reportedly took place at around 9.50 pm when hundreds of travellers who were stopped by soldiers manning the road around 4.45 pm on Sunday were asleep.

The travellers were allegedly forced to suspend their journeys even though it was not yet time for curfew which normally starts from 6pm and ends at 6am unless there were other issues.

Military authorities were yet to give an official account of what transpired at Auno, but Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State had visited the scene yesterday while President Muhammadu Buhari had condemned the attack.

Governor Zulum who visited Auno yesterday morning was told that the death toll was up to 30 even though a military commander put the figure at 10.

Speaking to the Garrison Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Sunday Igbinomwanhia, at the scene of the incident, Zulum said, “We have to be brutal in telling the truth…Since I was inaugurated as governor of Borno State, Boko Haram has attacked Auno six times.

“Another thing is that the military has withdrawn from Auno town. I am not undermining the capacity of the military but we have made repeated appeal for the military to establish their unit in Auno. They are here but as soon as it is 5pm, they close the gate and lock the people and go back to Maiduguri. This is not right,” he said.

In his response, the army commander said the military was committed to the protection of lives and property in the state, saying the troops were conducting clearance operation at other locations when the attack happened.

Igbinomwanhia said the military will not deliberately allow the people to be killed by insurgents. He also urged residents of the community to provide credible information to the troops in order to secure them.