Local hunters and vigilantes backed by troops have recaptured Mubi in Adamawa State from Boko Haram insurgents who had held the town since late last month, Governor Bala Ngilari has said.
Boko Haram fighters overrun Mubi, the second-largest town in the state, on October 30, forcing thousands of people to flee towards the state capital Yola and other places.
Residents who remained behind said militants imposed their own strand of Sharia law and carried out executions and amputations.
Daily Trust had reported yesterday that hunters, vigilantes and soldiers were mobilising late Wednesday to try to retake Mubi.
Speaking in Yola during an inspection of relief materials provided by the Federal Government for displaced people yesterday, Ngilari said “the insurgents have been flushed out of Mubi and are on the run.”
He said government decided to enlist the assistance of local hunters and vigilantes to help fight insurgency in the state, saying the victory recorded in Mubi is the work of God.
“God is in this business of security in Adamawa State. You know in the last one week or so, the government has decided to be working with the vigilante group Yan Baka, local hunters and Civilian JTF. They have been working hand in hand,” Ngilari said.
Daily Trust learnt that the hunters who participated in the Mubi offensive were mobilised from several Northern states.
They were said to have had bloody clashes with the insurgents before succeeding in retaking the town.
A resident confirmed to the BBC that Boko Haram had been dislodged, saying he had seen the bodies of many of their fighters.
The resident, who was not named for his own safety, said civilians had not yet returned to the town, as they feared the insurgents might try to attack again.
He said there were still not very many soldiers there, and most of the fighting had been done by vigilante groups and hunters.
He also said that he had seen the local leader of Boko Haram in handcuffs after being captured.
Another resident, who left Mubi yesterday, said there were no Boko Haram militants in the town any more.
The man had earlier fled but went back to evacuate his family only to be arrested by the insurgents and kept at the barracks for days.
“But at the time I was leaving Mubi, they were not at the barracks. In fact, I passed Maiha without seeing or meeting anyone of them,” he told the BBC Hausa Service.
He said days back, the insurgents had set up check points where they interrogate people trying to enter or leave the town.
“It was at the check point that they arrested me and took me to barracks. They did not hurt me on our way to the barracks, but one of them said he had recognised my face, evacuating people out of the town. Therefore, they must take me to their leader,” he said.
“When we reached there, I saw the leader, but I was not allowed to speak to him, because he cannot speak Hausa. They speak a strange language and Hausa, but the leader did not speak Hausa.
“They searched me everywhere, asking where I was from. They asked whether I was a military man. They checked even my palm.
“I saw them loading trucks with foodstuff, including even cement. The trucks headed outside the town.
“Later, they again asked me what was my business and I told them that I operate computer. Upon hearing this, one of them ordered that I should not be killed. He said I should be kept at the barracks.”
Residents of Yola as well as internally-displaced people yesterday expressed joy over the news of the recapture of Mubi.
A displaced resident of Mubi, Salina Kosi, said he was overjoyed with the news, and called on government to compensate the vigilantes and hunters.
With the recapture of Mubi, the remaining major Adamawa towns still in Boko Haram control are Madagali and Michika.
Boko Haram is also holding nine local government areas in Borno and two in Yobe.

dailytrust.com.ng/daily/top-stories/39551-hunters-retake-mubi-from-boko-haram

Our Army are no cowards, they are being used as sacrificial lambs.. They are like the puns in the game of chess...

Hmmm..nawa for d state of my country shaa...