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Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Onyi42(m): 5:26pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Yanaye Grema hid for three days between a wall and his neighbours’ house, as Boko Haram fighters ransacked his hometown of Baga on the shore of Lake Chad in Nigeria’s far northeast. The 38-year-old fisherman already knew the attack was serious: he joined civilian vigilantes to defend the town but their simple weapons were no match for the Islamists’ superior firepower. “People fled into the bush while some shut themselves indoors,” he said of last Saturday’s attack. “The gunmen pursued fleeing residents into the bush, shooting them dead,” he told AFP from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. But it was only after breaking cover on Tuesday night that he realised the true scale of the attack, which it is feared may be one of the worst in the six-year insurgency. “For five kilometres (three miles), I kept stepping on dead bodies until I reached Malam Karanti village, which was also deserted and burnt,” he said. Local officials this week said the attack forced at least 20,000 people from Baga and other settlements in and around Lake Chad to flee, many of them across the border. Nearly 600 others had been stranded on an island on the lake without food, water or shelter. – Looting and burning – The attack wasn’t the first on Baga. Nearly 200 people were killed in April 2013, when militants stormed the town and set much of it on fire, prompting fierce fighting with the Nigerian military. This time, the Islamists met less resistance and were able to take over the town and overrun the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which is based there. At least 16 towns and villages in the area were razed. Security analysts believe the targets of last weekend’s attack were the civilian vigilantes helping the military in the counter-insurgency. Hiding from view between the wall and the house, behind a roadside stall and the cover of a thick neem tree, Grema said the rampaging Islamists unleashed mayhem. “All I could hear were ceaseless gunshots, explosions, screams from people and chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest) from the Boko Haram gunmen,” he added. “I remained in my hiding place until Tuesday evening. “Every night when it was dark, I would furtively scale the fence into my house to quickly eat garri (processed cassava granules) and drink water and go back to my hideout.” His family was not at home. They were in Kukawa, 40 kilometres (25 miles) away, paying their respects after Boko Haram killed his wife’s cousin about two months ago. “Some of the Boko Haram gunmen camped outside the Baga main market just 700 metres from my hideout,” he explained. “At night I could see lights from the power generator they ran. I could also hear their cheering and laughter. “Luckily on Monday some of the gunmen withdrew while others stayed in the town. This reduced their number, which made it difficult for them to patrol the whole town. It worked to my advantage. “On Tuesday they began looting the market and every home in the town… Around 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) they set fire to the market and began burning homes. I decided it was time I leave before they turn in my direction. “Around 7:30 pm I ventured out of my hiding and started to walk away from the noise coming from the gunmen. It was dark, so no-one could see me.” – Nomad herdsman – In the bush, Grema chanced upon an old man at a nomadic Fulani herdsmen’s settlement, who advised him to move west to avoid running into the militants. “His warning frightened me but made me more determined to get away. I thanked him and moved on,” he said. “I quickened my pace. I soon caught up with… four women. One of them was carrying a baby on her back. “They told me they were among hundreds of women that were arrested by Boko Haram and detained in the home of the district head which Boko Haram had converted into a women’s detention centre.” Three of the women had been separated from their children, he added. Grema said he pushed out on his own, as the women were “too slow”, running and walking throughout the night, before arriving at Kekeno village near Monguno, 65km away, the following morning. On Thursday, he took a bus from Monguno to Maiduguri. “I will never forget this experience and I will forever be grateful to the old Fulani nomad for his life-saving advice,” he added. 1 Like |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by SUBMARINE: 5:29pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Eyaaaaa Sorry |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by datbay(m): 5:31pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Congrats man...may God deliver this nation. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Nobody: 5:32pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Wat an xpirience..politicians jxt playing with poor peoples lives.. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Timothy3113(m): 5:32pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
GEJ TILL ETERNITY |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by ifeelgood: 5:36pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Gej do go. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by divaoflife: 5:36pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Lord have mercy!!! |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by DesChyko: 5:43pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
"So GEJ couldn't even clean up the dead bodies or at least, sanitize the plays with air freshner. Instead his daughter is getting married while others are dying.".. So they will say. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by oduastates: 5:46pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Unfortunately, you have to wait for president buhari to rescue you. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by donphilopus: 5:50pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Timothy3113: Hogwash. What are you saying?! Are you this senseless?! If God had allowed you to pass through what these people are passing through in that region, you wouldn't have had the fingers to type this gibberish. GEJ till 2019 my foot! It would be disastrous for us as a Nation to continue with the Status Quo. Jonathan should be shown the way out now before he shows us the way out! 1 Like |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Onyi42(m): 5:53pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
buhari is our only hope 2 Likes |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by idumuose(m): 5:53pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
oduastates:Then you will wait FOREVER 1 Like |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by tit(f): 5:54pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
65 km in one night! this guy is a world class marathoner! |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Timothy3113(m): 5:54pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
donphilopus:bro take it easy. Na joke i joke naw. U suppos no take am personal naw. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Nobody: 5:56pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Story 4 d Gods. 1 Like |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by idumuose(m): 6:07pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
donphilopus:APC is likened to an analogy Christ gave. John the Baptist came not eating and drinking.You said he had a demon. The son of man came eating and drinking.You said he is a wine bibber. Ihejirika was accused of using excessive force on boko haram by the northern elders El rufai accused the military of genocide. Buhari opposed the state of emergency in the north. Buhari accused Jonathan of killing bokoharam militants in other to reduce the population of the north. The northern elders threatened to drag Ihejirika to the hague for ethnic cleansing.. APC i'm sorry to say is giving tacit support to boko haram.They are in support of these killings so that they can play politics with it. The north is it's own enemy.They are the ones losing.Jonathan will keep doing his best to contain your shenanigans. 3 Likes |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Onyi42(m): 6:11pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
idumuose: what's APC business with the northern elders....ain't there no northerners In PDP....pls stop being tribalistic 3 Likes |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by jaytee01(m): 6:23pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
How did we get to this situation as a country |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by donphilopus: 6:24pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
idumuose: What did Bamanga Tukur say about Boko Haram? Did he not call them freedom fighters? Did Jonathan say he's our brother so he can't tell the Military to unleash mayhem on them? Who politicised the insurgency? APC or PDP?! Instead of Jonathan to tackle the issue when it was still on its early stage, he was blaming the Opposition and past Leaders! 2 Likes |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by jaytee01(m): 6:30pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
idumuose:Do you have any proof of APC's complicity in this or is biased, beer parlour talk that you are retailing? |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Bowaley17(m): 7:19pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Thank God for ur life man...Indeed GEJ govt has failed...the change is here... #Buhari2015... IamBOWALEY 1 Like |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Chuksgeo: 9:00pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Wao |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Nobody: 9:20pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Onyi42: Source? |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by babadee1(m): 9:28pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by VirginFinder: 9:55pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
Stelvin101: You are a dullard! Read the post first and your question will be answered. Anybody who dismisses this as mere propaganda should be hung! |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by collinsVP: 10:21pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
This human inhumanity to man in the north east of Nigeria is unbearable. I must say this- Nigeria government is yet to put up a convincing fight against Boko Haram. Each time you hear BH over ran Nigeria military bla bla bla. The next, they politic with it. Dish out lies and path themselves at the back for doing nothing. The situation on ground is such that does not call for politicking at all. GEJ should do this country a fovour and throw in the towel and let another come and context against GMB. Who knows; the person might be a better altanative to GMB. Otherwise GMB should come and try and let's see how much he can destroy us. We are no longer scared of death as much as we will not allow the status quo to remain. Hopefully one day we shall get it right. |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Nobody: 10:27pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
babadee1: Thanks for the source bro |
Re: Escape From Boko Haram: ‘I Kept Stepping On Dead Bodies’ by Nobody: 10:29pm On Jan 10, 2015 |
VirginFinder: Calling u stup1d is an insult to stup1d people. I didn't say anything negative abt the article, I only asked for the source so I can share the story in my Facebook page. Na people like u dey die f00lishly. Over-sabi idi0t! |
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