For a long time, the Boko Haram has been launching attacks in Nigeria’s Borno State. The armed group has killed many people and taken others as hostages. Recently, the ISWAP, a splinter of the militant group, attacked a town in Borno State and took some residents as hostages.
The Boko Haram Insurgency
The insurgency started way back in 2009 when the group commenced an armed revolt against Nigeria’s government. The conflict is based on a long-standing concern of a religious war between the country’s Muslim and Christian groups. The rebels’ main target is to form an Islamic state in the area.
After a long time of violence, the rebels became aggressive and began to capture areas in the northeastern part of Nigeria. The war increased in 2014 with over 10000 fatalities while the armed group increased its areas of operations.
On 6th January 2020, the armed group bombed a market in Borno State, claiming over 30 people. During the next month, the Boko Haram group killed 30 people in the same state. They did not stop there; on 23rd March; they carried out killings against the military forces of Chad and Nigeria.
The Boko Haram is relentless in its operations as on 9th June. The group killed over 80 villagers in Gubio. Gubio is in the Borno State of Nigeria. Less than a week during the same month, the Boko Haram killed 20 soldiers in Monguno and over 35 civilians in Nganzai. Early this month, the armed group killed 18 people in an IDP settlement in Cameroon.
The residents around the town said that the armed group took captives in Kukawa town. Reports say that the residents had only returned after running away from their homes. The Islamic State West Africa Province militant group invaded the town in Borno state.
What Babakura Kolo Says
Babakura is the head of a local militia. He says the armed group captured the residents who went back to the town in a state operation early this month.
He said:
“The terrorists attacked the town in 22 trucks around 4:00 pm yesterday and engaged soldiers guarding the town in a fierce battle.”
The Residents’ Tough Experience
The occupants went back to their homes less than 20 days earlier under military lead. They have been staying in camps in Maiduguri, where they ran following an attack 2 years ago. The town chief said the residents went back with a lot of hope of working on their lands.
The chief said:
“We don’t know what they would do to them, but I hope they don’t harm them.”
The Long-Suffering of People Under the Hands of the Armed Groups
The violence in the northeastern part of Nigeria has forced over 1.8 million people out of their place of stay. Many occupants moved into dirty IDP’s camps in Maiduguri and depended on small handouts from foreign charities.
Since 2018, authorities have been urging the IDPs to go back to their homes. However, foreign charities are concerned about the safety of the residents. Boko Haram is accountable for the fatalities of many people and the kidnappings of thousands.
The government forces should plan and weaken the strongholds of the armed groups and bring peace to the region.
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