Boko Haram kills 4 vigilante, injure another in Borno

Suspected members of the Boko Haram on Friday ambushed and killed four members of the Borno Vigilance Youths Group (BVYG) at Mainok village, along Damaturu-Maiduguri road, the first of such incidents since the time people in Maiduguri and environs launched a manhunt of the gunmen.
One died on the day of the attack while others died yesterday at the Umaru Shehu Hospital in Maidiguri.
There leader, Abubakar Malum said the three died while receiving treatment of the gun shot wounds they sustained when they were ambushed by Boko Haram fighters.
Malum described them as “galant citizens” who died while struggling to sanitize Borno and Nigeria at large.
“We will miss them a lot and will always remember them as true volunteers,” Mallum, who spoke to journalists at the hospital, yesterday, said.
He said their bodies will be handed over to their families for burial today and called on his members to persevere in the struggle.
Officials of the vigilante and a security source confirmed the incident, pointing out that another youth who was also shot in the stomach was rushed to hospital.
Sunday Trust reports that some BVYG members had traveled to Mainok, 58 kilometers west of Maiduguri where they arrested two suspected members of the Boko Haram who had fled the state capital in search of refuge.
“The youths had successfully arrested two suspects and were on their way back to Maiduguri in a convoy of four taxi cars around  6:35pm  on Friday when the gunmen waylaid them with sophisticated weapons,” one of the youth leaders said.
Another source said the attackers stormed out of the bush in a convoy of two Hilux vehicles and started firing at the taxi cab that was conveying the two suspects and some of their captors.
“Without delay, they opened fire at the cab, probably with the intent of killing everybody. One of the occupants was shot in the chest and died instantly while the other one was shot in the stomach but did not die.
“It was getting dark so there was serious confusion which was compounded by the superior power of the insurgents who came with many AK47 rifles and other high profile guns.
“Our members were helpless because they had only daggers, swords, knives and sticks…they were left with no option than to flee for safety…It is God that really intervened  otherwise non of them would have returned to Maiduguri alive,” he said.
Chairman of the BVYG, Malum said many members of Boko Haram have fled the state capital. A top security source confirmed the incident.
Mr Josiah Horsee, a concerned resident opined that there is need for authorities, including the state government and the Joint Task Force (JTF) to fine tune ways of protecting the youth from imminent attacks.
“The youth are patriotic citizens that have done a lot in terms of securing Borno State in recent times but they are vulnerable.
“They have no guns and specialized training...they are just patriotic citizens.
“Authorities must do something to protect them so that their morale will not be dampened,” he said.


daily trust