We counted 98 corpses in Bama – Civilian JTF

The Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibn Ibrahim Elkanemi, on Thursday said his subjects thought he had been killed together with his family members during the attack on the town by Boko Haram members on Wednesday.

The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Tanko Lawan, had on Wednesday told journalists that 47 persons were killed when members of the Boko Haram sect attacked the town for about eight hours.

But the leader of the Civilian JTF in the town, Akura Satomi, said his group counted 98 corpses after the siege. However, the Chairman of Bama Local Government, Baba Gulumba, told journalists that 80 persons were killed by the insurgents who he claimed also lost about 100 of their members.

The Shehu of Bama, while giving account of the attack said many had thought he was killed in the attack on his palace.

He said his escape was facilitated by a personal security measure which he was not willing to disclose to the public.

“My people thought that the Boko Haram members had killed me together with my family but this was not so because we escaped through a personal security measure that I will not disclose to the public,” he said.

 On the number of casualties, the traditional ruler said he supervised the burial of 34 persons but added that more corpses had been buried by their relations.

“We told the people to be bringing their corpses to the central mosque to record the number of those that died but many people had already buried their relations before the message got to them but we did funeral prayers for 34 people at the central mosque.”

But Gulumba told journalists that 80 persons were killed by the insurgents who also lost about 100 of their members.

The chairman’s figure was however disputed by Satomi, who said members of his group retrieved 98 corpses.

He said that about 100 insurgents killed by the soldiers and his group were ferried away by their colleagues.

Our correspondent, who followed the state Commissioner for Local Government and  Chieftaincy Affairs, Babakaka Garbai, to the town on Thursday, reported that the District Head of Goniri Ward, Alhaji Baa Shehu Terab, was among those killed by the insurgents.

Over 500 buildings comprising the palace of monarch of the town, house of the local government chairman, residential houses, shops, schools and markets were burnt.

Others were the local government secretariat, public offices and several buildings including those being occupied by security forces.

Gulumba said, “The latest multiple attacks were horrifying as it was the most damaging and life-consuming. Actually there is need for the Federal Government to re-strategise the manner it is handling the situation. Let the government realize that the rampant violent campaigns by the Boko Haram sect is not a mere uprising, it is an act of war and unless appropriate measures are urgently adopted to checkmate the ugly trend, the bloodshed would be worsened by the day.”

He lamented that since the beginning of this year alone, over 500 persons had been killed in various parts of the local government in separate attacks.

However, Satomi, who participated in the search and rescue operation said, “We discovered some corpses in the surrounding bushes and inside some burnt houses as the victims were killed by the insurgents who laid siege to the town from 4.15am to about 12 noon.”

He disclosed that the insurgents sneaked into the town through Goni Kurmi at the outskirts of the commercial town and went about destroying buildings and killing innocent persons.

Journalists and Garbai witnessed the funeral rites of the district head of Goniri, Alhaji Baba Shehu Terab, in front of his burnt house.

His family members said he was shot in the head and later rushed to the hospital but died on Thursday.

At the hospital, the Chief Nursing Officer, Emit Shuwa, who received the emir at the Bama General Hospital said, “We received 200 patients, 48 were admitted for gunshots, but we lost 17 of them. We just removed nine bullets now from the bodies of some patients. Sixteen people have been referred to some Maiduguri hospitals.”

Copyright PUNCH.