5 killed as civilian JTF factions clash in Borno

NOT less than five persons died when two factions of youths popularly called Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) clashed in Biu, in a raid on Boko Haram terrorists, one of the survivor told the Nigerian Tribune.


Biu is about 185 kilometres away from Maiduguri, Borno State capital, and has witnessed series of killings and bombings by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

Abdullahi Mohammed, who sustained gunshot injury during the incident and currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Gombe, confirmed the incident to newsmen.

“Allhadulillahi. I am still alive. I was shot on my chest by soldiers, but Allhadulillahi, the medical doctors here have successfully removed the bullet from my body,” Mohammed said.

According to him, trouble started when a group of civilian JTF from Maiduguri, accompanied by soldiers, invaded Biu town, in search of Boko Haram terrorists.

“The civilian JTF in Biu asked those that came from Maiduguri to leave the town, because their presence in the town is likely to cause more harm than good to residents,” he said.

According to him, it was in the process that a fight ensued between the two youth groups, leading to the death of five persons.

“I saw five dead bodies before I was rushed to FMC in Gombe. It is possible the casualty figure may be more than five, because only two of us survived. I can’t tell where other dead bodies were deposited,” Mohammed said.

Efforts to get the JTF or the police to confirm or deny the incident failed, as GSM telecommunications remained grounded in Borno State.

Borno govt fumigates liberated Boko Haram’s dens

As normalcy is gradually returning to Maiduguri, the state Ministry of Enviroment has begun massive fumigation and clearing of drainage of areas within the town previously under the stranglehold of the outlawed Boko Haram sect.

The sanitation came on the heels of the call by the state government to all the fleeing residents of the town to return back to their homes.

Nigerian Tribune, at the weekend, gathered that former enclaves of the sect, which were deserted at the peak of the crisis, had started showing signs of life, as some of the fleeing residents had returned.