By Sam Kayode
Barely a week after the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum raised an alarm over the massing of terrorists in his state, they have dealt a deadly blow that erased not less than 26 lives.
Zulum, had called on the military to launch aggressive offensive operations in the Lake Chad islands, also known as the Tumbus, to eliminate insurgents from their known enclaves.
Receiving a Ministry of Defence delegation led by the the Defence ministers, Mohammed Badaru and Bello Mutawale; Defence Chief General Chris Musa, and representatives of service Chiefs in Maiduguri, Prof. Zulum described the Lake Chad Tumbus Islands as a known haven for insurgents where they regroup and sustain their activities. He called for a special military operation to dislodge them.
The Governor stated that the islands serve as breeding grounds for insurgents who depend on the area for sustenance adding that It is imperative to consider launching coordinated operations to flush out the criminals.
He further added that it was clearly evident that terrorist elements from the North West, Central and East of the country were likely falling back to the Tumbus for their means of livelihood and refreshments before returning to torment residents.
At least 26 people were killed on Monday as a truck hit an improvised explosive device in Nigeria’s restive northeast.
The blast killed men, women and children in Borno State, near the border with Cameroon, according to the military and residents
The region has been plagued for decades by armed groups including the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, with violence flaring up in recent days.
“Twenty-six people died in the blast, comprising of 16 men, four women and six children,” a military officer speaking on condition of anonymity told the AFP news agency, adding that three further passengers were severely injured.
Borno State police offered no immediate comment.
The International NGO Safety Organisation, which provides security to foreign NGOs in northeast Nigeria, said in an internal memo seen by the Reuters news agency that vehicles moving between the towns of Rann and Gamboru Ngala hit an improvised explosive device (IED).
“I took part in the funeral of the 26 people killed in the explosion; most of them were burned beyond recognition,” Akram Saad, a resident of the nearby town Rann, told AFP.
A video showed rows of bodies in white plastic bags laid on the floor of the morgue at Rann’s general hospital.
ISWAP claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Telegram on Tuesday.
Violence flares
ISWAP and Boko Haram have been battling Nigerian security forces for years in the northeast and often use IEDs to target civilians and security forces.
Boko Haram’s uprising has plagued the area for the past 15 years, killing more than 40,000 people. The government has asserted that the groups are largely defeated, despite the persisting attacks.
ISWAP is also active in northern Borno and has launched sporadic ambushes on convoys and planted landmines along its highways.
Monday’s deadly blast comes amid a flare-up of violence in northeast Nigeria in recent days, with the death toll rising to at least 50 people.
Boko Haram killed about 10 “vigilantes” from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in the state of Adamawa, sources reported earlier on Monday, according to AFP.
On Thursday, the group killed 14 farmers in Borno’s Gwoza district, a local official said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Nigeria’s military appointed Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar as its 15th commander in the fight against the groups in the northeast, a spokesperson for the operation said in a statement.
Zulum had called on the Federal Government to enhance surveillance and border security, particularly in the Sahel region, citing the vulnerability of the nation’s borders and the infiltration of armed groups and weapons through the region.
“If the Sahel is not secured, the entire country remains vulnerable. There is a pressing need to fortify the Sahel region to end insecurity,” the Governor added.
Healso advocated for increased troop deployment to areas such as the Timbuktu Triangle and the Mandara Mountains, and for continuous and sustained military operations to prevent the reoccupation of previously reclaimed territories.
In his words, “there should be forces that will keep the ground, otherwise they will come back. What brought about the recent situation is that we felt everything was okay, but they are regrouping now and I believe the Nigerian military will not allow them regroup.”
He requested the deployment of more military hardware including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and additional personnel to improve surveillance and fortify vulnerable zones.
While acknowledging the current operational burden on the military across the country, the Governor called for the deployment of more trained manpower and logistics to the North East.
The delegation assured that as a matter of fact, their visit was aimed at further boosting the morale of the troops and redirecting their attention to the concerns of the Governor who is the Chief security officer of the state.
Badaru assured that the military have not abandoned the Hadin Kai theatre, which is why the entire defence high command was in Maiduguri adding that they are assuring residents that the military will increase its tempo in Borno to ensure that the hard-earned peace returns.
Unfortunately, despite the assurances by the defence heads, the blood of innocents flowed in the theatre of blood, tears, and long, mournful faces.
