Serial killings

How gunmen slaughter residents of Maiduguri
•25 women killed this week – Pastor

The troubled city of Maiduguri, Borno State capital is witnessing more  bestiality with increasing house-to-house slaughtering of residents by suspected Boko Haram Islamists. As at press time, no fewer that 15 people including children and teenagers have been slaughtered this week in what appeared to be a change of tactics by the Boko Haram.

On Wednesday, three children between the ages of seven and twelve years were slaughtered at Silimanti Ward Polo Area of the metropolis in the presence of their mother by gunmen when they discovered that the head of the family, a security agent, was not around. Sunday Sun gathered that the gunmen sneaked into the house on Wednesday at about 2am and demanded to see the head of the house. “When they couldn’t find the man, a Michika from Adamawa State, they grabbed the three children and slaughtered them,” residents of the area said. Sadly, the mother of the three children was said to have died on Saturday.

The shock, anguish and trauma of the killing of her only three promising children before her might have been responsible. The killing on Wednesday came barely three days after a retired pastor, Rev Elizar Kabira of COCIN Church, Polo Area was killed in his house in a similar manner. According to one Pastor Musa Ali Dikwa, a Maiduguri-based clergyman, “the man was killed as he was waiting for his son to come and pick him to church for the Sunday service. Many Christians are being killed in same manner in the city.

In fact, they are doing everything to send all Christians out of Borno and that’s why I have been crying to the Federal Government to help us save the situation.” Pastor Musa also alleged that no fewer than 25 Christian ladies have been killed this week in the house-to-house slaughtering spree by Boko Haram at Mari and Gwange wards. The victims according to him were killed for dressing in manners considered “offensive to Islam”.

The latest spate of serial killings also claimed the lives of  five men who were butchered at Shokwari ward of the metropolis. Some of the areas where killings have been intensified in the last one week include Polo, Silimanti, London Chiki, Shokwari and CBN quarters area. Meanwhile, JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa in his reaction denied a rise in the spate of killings. He said no lady was killed by Boko Haram this week. “The purported killing of girls by Boko Haram is not true and the rumour is intended to  cause disaffection and crisis. There is no truth in the story at all”, he said in his response to Sunday Sun inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force has declared some suspected Boko Haram wanted. A statement issued by Lt Col Sagir Musa said: “The underlisted Boko Haram members are wanted and we hereby place a reward on each one of them.  They are wanted in connection with terrorist activities particularly in the North East Zone of Nigeria that led to the killings, bombings and assassination of some civilians, religious leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen, politicians, civil servants and security personnel amongst others.

They are also wanted for arson and destruction of properties worth millions of naira. “Therefore, anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of any of the listed terrorists or more will have the rewards”, the statement said. The wanted suspects are Abubakar Shekau (N5m reward), Habibu Yusuf (a.k.a Asalafi)(N25 million), Khalid Albarnawai(N25 million), Momodu Bama(N25 million), Mohammed Zangina(N25 million), Abu Saad(N10 million), Abba Kaka(N10million), Abdulmalik Bama(N10 million),

Umar Fulata(N10 million), Alhaji Mustapha (Massa) Ibrahim(N10 million), Abubakar Suleiman-Habu (a.k.a Khalid)(N10 Million), Hassan Jazair(N10 Million), Jalingo(N10 million), Alhaji Musa Modu(N10 million), Bashir Aketa(N10 million), Abba Goroma(N10 million), Ibrahim Bashir(N10 million), Abubakar Zakariya(N10 million) and Tukur Ahmed Mohammed(N10 million).

The Sun