Hundreds of residents of Jiddari Polo general area of Maiduguri metropolis have fled their homes into the city following sporadic shootings suspected to have been masterminded by Boko Haram sect.
Jiddari Polo General Area is south at the outskirts of the metropolis with densely population and not far away from the 21 Giwa armoured Barracks.
The incident which started at about 6:30 pm on Wednesday is coming barely few hours after President Muhammadu Buhari visited the state for sympathy visit.
According to one resident, Mallam Yusuf Unman said:” Our community is currently under Boko Haram attack, there are deafening sounds if gunshots and explosions, but I was lucky to have mobilized my family and fled into the heart if the city to reunite with one if my relatives”.
Although the sounds of the gunshots have subsided as at 7:12 pm, many residents who fled into the city are still stranded at press time.
One of the fleeing residents, Adamu Garba told our Vanguard correspondent at about 7:30pm that they sighted large number of armed policemen, members of the civilian JTF with military troops heading towards the area of the attack as they struggle to enter the town with his family in his private car.
Meanwhile, Borno Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has said there was need for change of strategies in the ongoing fight against Boko haram.
The Governor who however acknowledged successes recorded by the same military in the state spoke in presence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Shehu of Borno’s palace in Maiduguri.
“Your Excellency sir, between the period of March 2019 to date we have started witnessing horrific and spontaneous attacks by the insurgents which has resulted into the loss of lives and properties of our people.
“We are calling upon the Nigerian military to change strategies and we can borrow a leaf from the success our military was able to hugely record in the years 2016 and 2017 with a view to ending the insurgency. We need to keep taking the war to enclaves of the insurgents in the fringes of the Lake Chad, in Sambisa forest and some notable areas” Zulum said.
Governor Zulum, however, commended the President for his commitment to ending the insurgency. He recalled the gains recorded in the years 2016 and 2017 and also thanked him for being consistent in showing empathy to the people of Borno.
“Let me appreciate Mr President for associating with us at this our very trying moment. I am so surprised that we have forgotten the past” Zulum said.
The Governor although he could not ignore the current unfortunate situation, the people of Borno state still remember the days before Buhari’s emergence, when 20 out of the 27 local government areas in the state were in the hands of Boko haram while all the five routes into Borno state were largely inaccessible with exception of Maiduguri-Kano road. In addition, he cited sporadic bombings and killings even within the capital, Maiduguri.
“Close to about 20 Local Government areas were resettled under Buhari. In fact, in the year 2016/2017, we celebrated the demise of the Boko Haram insurgency that has unfortunately returned” Zulum said.
Vanguard
