Musa Mohammed, a displaced man from Bama town which was taken over by the Boko Haram insurgents on September 1st today said he was yet to see his two wives and 12 children.

Mohammed, who spoke to our correspondents at the NYSC orientation camp, where thousands of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) are camped, said he could not sleep in the past one week because he was not certain about the condition of his family.

“I am in pain, I am sick…in fact, I am confused because I don’t know whether my family are dead or kidnapped. This is because, since over a week ago, I did not see any of my two wives while only one out of my 13 children has been found.

“I am only a living but have lost my composure and apetite, I find it difficult to eat despite the fact that the Borno State government and NEMA are really taking care of us.

“My prayer is, may the Almighty rescue my family because I don’t know what life would look like if I didn’t see them again. I am appealing to the Federal Government of Nigeria and well meaning government all over the world to come to our rescue,” Mohammed said.

His appeal came in the wake of mass influx of people into Maiduguri, the state capital, following waves of attacks in some major towns in the state and fear of attacks in surrounding villages and settlements.

Hajja Kalthum who fled from Darul-Jamal, a community in the outskirt of Bama said she and many of her family members escaped death by the whiskers.

“On the first day of the attack on Bama, the insurgents started shooting from our village and we all scampered for safety. It was after five days that I saw my three daughters and eight grand children in Maiduguri.

“This is because, when I fled Darul-Jamal, I took refuge in Bama, thinking that it was safe. Sadly, we were trapped there for the next five days after the insurgents took over the town. They were firing heavy guns as if the sky will collapse.

“It was a nasty experience indeed. I saw many dead bodies of young men decomposing on the streets.

“The gunmen warned the elderly men in the Bama not to bury any of the dead bodies. They warned of drastic punishment if their orders are not respected. Until the day we fled, the bodies are still there,” she said.

Our correspondents saw thousands of women at Mai Musari Primary School along Bama who are being evacuated to other camps because of congestion and lack of sanitary facilities.

Hundreds of IDPs who reportedly fled their homes in Bama, Konduga, Kawuri, Kayamla, Dikwa, Mafa, Limanti, Gowom, Damboa, Dalwa, among others were also seen at Yerwa Girls Secondary School, Sanda Kyarimi Secondary School and other resettlement locations.

Many others from Gamboru Ngala were also seen at Goni Kachallari Primary School.

Ya Bintu, an elderly woman who fled from Bama said she was trapped in her house for six days before she could escape to Maiduguri.

“The good story is that they (Boko Haram) didn’t touch me or any of the dozens of people that took refuge in my house, despite the fact that every day, they would come around and ask if there is any young girl. On every occasion, I kept telling that there is no young girl.

“I summoned courage and hid many young girls in the house and Alhamdu Lillah, we all escaped when after about five days, I noticed the way the insurgents were operating,” Ya Bintu said.

Asked how they were operating, she said, “They normally come around 6am on their motorcycles, normally from the direction of Gwoza. They would stay in Bama till sunset. They would then mobilize themselves, fire gunshots into the air severally before they would leave.

“They told us, mostly elderly men, women and children not to worry, assuring that they would not harm us. But honestly speaking, I never trusted them because they have killed many prosperous men in Bama.

“As such, when the opportunity for us to escape availed itself, we used it wisely when we took to the bushes on Friday night after the insurgents had left. We trekked for a long distance until we reached Kawuri where soldiers had a station. We saw many of them and they assisted us by bringing us to Maiduguri,” she said.

Soldiers still in Konduga, not Bama

Meanwhile, hundreds of soldiers have been stationed in Konduga town, 35 kilometers south –east of Maiduguri in order to protect alleged planned invasion into Maiduguri by the insurgents.

Sources said the soldiers were taken to Konduga after ground operation and aerial reconnaissance on Saturday led to the killing of over 50 suspected Boko Haram insurgents at Kawuri.

Witnesses and security operatives said the soldiers were patrolling Konduga and neighboring villages in order to secure them.

“For now, a lot of operation has taken place in Bama but the town is still not safe,” a soldier, who craved for anonymity, said.

He said after the fierce but successful encounter in Kawuri, troops are strategizing on how to rescue Bama from the clutches of the insurgents.

Our correspondents report that some fighter jets were seen today and at night on Sunday, passing through the skies in Maiduguri and heading towards south-east of Maiduguri.

Source: Daily Trust

Daily trust, reporting for the other side.

now it is clear that most of the youths dia has joined boko haram .xo since everybody has fled leaving only the bokos there, i will be happy if a nuclear bomb is launched there or a gas carnister should be released in those affected villages..let them not fear collateral damage cos there isnt any thing that is good about those villages or towns anymore.

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this is fast changing into a more conventional warfare, boko haram is bcomin bolder

atlwireles: Daily trust, reporting for the other side.

Guy, stop being a piast joor. It's not SaharaReporters anymore, it's now Daily Trust. Ah dey wonder for you o!

donphilopus:

Guy, stop being a piast joor. It's not SaharaReporters anymore, it's now Daily Trust. Ah dey wonder for you o!

You don need to wonder below is a short list

Sharia reporter
Daily trust
The Nation
Leadership newspaper

More will be added as the enemies within show their faces. You all will be defeated..

From what I can deduce , boko haram seems to be planning something big and I don't think maiduguri is it. I won't be surprised if the bama attack is just a diversionary tactics . I think all military installations should be at red alert