BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI
Barely two days when eight people
including passengers and motorists were
ambushed by suspected members of
dreaded Boko Haram sect around the hilly
road communities of Dzur in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno state, no
fewer than four Christians were killed,
living two churches and over 50 houses
razed down by suspected insurgents in
Pelachiroma community of Hawul on
Tuesday. Pelachiroma is few kilometres away from
Dzur which is a mountainous community
harbouring terrorists camps along the
Biu- Garkida- Gombi- Yola road where the
late emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta,
and other innocent people were ambushed and killed by suspected Boko
Haram sect early this year. Hawul is a predominantly Christian
community, south and about 210
kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the
state capital that has been under series
of Boko Haram attacks in the last couple
of months ago with absence of security operatives. Just last two weeks, some insurgents
stormed Shaffa community which is about
10 kilometres away from Azare, the
council Headquarter and killed over 20
people including a Pastor of Living Faith
Church, Pastor Eluid Gwamna Mshelizza who was slaughtered on his way to his
house after performing a public sermon
programme at about 10pm in the
community. In that attack, no fewer than 6 churches
were razed down with several houses and
shops all belonging to Christians were
looted and destroyed. Fleeing residents of pelachiroma told our
Correspondent that the insurgents who
stormed the village at about 9pm started
shooting sporadically at their targets with
no confrontation as people scamper for
safety. ” They came with motorcycles and well
armed with ak47 rifles and petrol bombs
targeting christian faithful and our places
of worship. ” as I am talking to you now we have all
deserted our community as the insurgents
who were chanting Allahu Akbar ( God is
great) vowed to eliminate Christians in
Haul Local government area. ” we are really disturbed because, Hawul
which is predominantly a Christians
community has been under series of Boko
haram attacks without confrontation or
deployment of military operatives”. Mr.
John Markus pelachiroma lamented in a telephone call but now taking refuge in
Biu council area. The Caretaker Chairman of Hawul Council
area, Dr. Andrew Usman Malgwi
confirmed the incident. He said, his
people are under series of attacks by
insurgents as security operatives
particularly the military authorities have failed to deploy its personnel to Hawul
despite all pleas. He said, “Yes some of my communities
are currently under Boko Haram attacks,
the insurgents laid raid ambush along
Dzur highway and killed several people
before destroying many vehicles last
week. This time around they wrecked havoc in Pelachiroma where they killed
three persons with destruction of
churches, houses and business centres,
but as government we are making frantic
effort to see to it that security operatives
particularly the Military are deployed to safeguard lives and property”. Dr. Malgwi
stated. End