IEDs killing more people than physical attacks in Maiduguri – Military source

• says those who started Boko Haram are evil

By OKOSUN DENNIS

Despite efforts by the military to eliminate remnants of Boko Haram insurgents from the North East region of the country, mines said to be laid in all the nooks and crannies of Borno state (outside Maiduguri metropolis) killing more people than direct attacks from the terrorists, National Daily can authoritatively reveal.

A military source disclosed to our correspondent that what is happening in the war front was more than what makes the eyes.

It was gathered that the military have restored normalcy to Maiduguri town as life is said to be “bumbling with various forms of business activities” but not so in the suburb as movement is restricted due to mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The source explained to National Daily that “You cannot move anyhow outside Maiduguri city. A journey that would, ordinarily, take a military convoy less than 30 minutes, or a distance of 10 kilometres could take almost two or more hours as they have to scan the road to and fro because of IEDs laid everywhere.”

Lamenting, he further explained that “Those that started Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria; didn’t help this country owing to the massive devastation wrecked in North east. They have destroyed anything called infrastructure or social amenities in Maiduguri.

“Outside the city, there is no telecommunication or any form of network. All the telecoms masts have been destroyed. Anytime I have the opportunity to go outside Maiduguri, it is by the grace of God. Communication outside Maiduguri is zero point.

“However, I must commend the military for a brilliant job. Every day is like war. You cannot trust anybody as far as prosecuting the war against insurgents is concern. Boko haram have laid mines and IEDs everywhere. It takes us hours to scan the road just to get to another point.

“If that is not done, you can be sure that something terrible might happen. We are very careful when moving outside Maiduguri,” a military source added.

Another source added, “The terrorists have polluted the minds and radicalised the indigenes especially the younger ones. They could give as little as N200 to an innocent girl and strap her with IED to go to densely populated places and explode it.

“However, due to the ingenuity of our troops, they have been able to foil hundreds of such cases that would have occurred.

“The unfortunate thing is that despite their killings, can we kill their ideology? That is one problem that we have not been able to resolve. Their ideology is so strong that no matter the preachment and the killings, they are steadfast and have doggedly resolved to harvest more death.

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National Daily further gathered that since the decimation of the terrorists in December 2016, what they do often is to clandestinely divert the attention of troops.

As the various Internally Displaced Persons camp (IDP) are scattered in some locations, National Daily check indicated that such camps are in horrible state.

While expressing dissatisfaction with the state of affairs at different IDP camps said the Maiduguri camp was in deplorable state noting that the quality of life in the camp would make a discerning mind cry.

“Come and see human beings, you will marvel and the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are making money out of the mess from donor agencies. The major problem now is IED planted everywhere; it could be anybody,” he reiterated.

He said, “A journey of 10kms can take you hours because you have to be sure and know where you put your leg. Anytime we go out, it is prayers. As you go out to the front; your life in danger. Anytime IED explodes, it quizzes vehicles not to talk of human life inside that are inside such vehicle.

“The same road that you pass now, on your way back, there might be mines. The unfortunate thing is that soldiers are deployed in such road; no Boko Haram insurgents.

“The person that is eating with you or the community that you are protecting might just be your enemy. We don’t know where it is coming from. We look at the road carefully before embarking on journey,” he reiterated.

On the massive devastation in the state, it was learnt that so many villages are shadow of itself as people have been sacked in most villages.

“There are ghost towns; people are scared of moving about. When peace returns, it will take ages to get back to normal life. Development is years behind them. There is nothing like infrastructure.

“Soldiers have returned life to normalcy in Maiduguri but you don’t know who is a suicide bomber? Some little children are brainwashed and strapped with bomb to kill innocent people.

“The Federal government need to be on its toes. Rehabilitation must be holistic. This is not military might because when you kill those terrorists, did you kill their ideology? “In some of the community where you see people living, soldiers have done a lot to restore normalcy to such places. The war is beyond the military, everybody must be involved. Those that started the fight did not take cognisance of what they were doing. It is a deadly fire they have set in this country.

“The attacks have stopped but what is killing people is the IED that the terrorists planted everywhere. It is just unfortunate that there is conflict in every part of the country. For how long shall we continue to live like this in a country so blessed?

National Daily recalls that in 2016, just as military were making efforts to rout the insurgents, the former Director Defence Information, (DDI) Brig Gen Rabe Abubakar disclosed that Boko Haram were using horses to plant mines in farms in a last ditch efforts to harvest death

“Terrorists now operate with horses to carry out attacks on isolated villages and communities along fringes of the borders in the North East. The latest tactics of the terrorists was a grand design to cause fear and panic among the farmers as well as the local populace.

Gen Abubakar, however, cautioned the farmers and the citizens to be mindful of strange and suspicious objects in their farmlands and localities as well as be weary of those coming on horses as they can be terrorists, enjoining them to report swiftly to the security agencies.

Contacts made to the Director, Army Public Relations, (DAPR), Brig Gen Sani Usman to respond didn’t yield the desired result as whatapps message sent to him.