Residents Flee To Maiduguri Over Boko Haram Attack

Reports coming out of Borno State, northeastern Nigeria indicate that many residents of Damboa town, south of Maiduguri, capital of Borno, have started fleeing their towm because of fear of being attacked by the outlawed Boko Haram sect.

PUNCH reports that the acts of terrorism being perpetrated by the Islamic militant group in Borno State recently has caused apprehension and heightened humanitarian crisis in the state capital.

The report stated that previous attacks by Boko Haram has caused over 140,000 internally displaced persons in Borno State alone.

* Residents in Borno fleeing from Boko Haram's attacks
It is reported at the weekend that the insurgents suffered a heavy casualties of 50 deaths and huge number of injuries when they attacked some military and security formations in the town on Friday night.

According to reports on the terror attack on Friday, the Nigerian military suffered 12 casualties, including a Colonel and a Divisional Police Officer being among the four policemen believed to have being killed.
Latest report suggests that as a result of the attack, many people of Damboa town are apprehensive that there might be a reprisal attack from the insurgents which might be heavier than Friday’s attack.

Some of the fleeing residents of the town, who fled to Maiduguri, told newsmen that “the insurgents are known to always come back to attack the towns".

“We believe that they will soon come back to Damboa, and we do not want to be caught in the crossfire. So, we have to seek refuge in Maiduguri,” one of the residents, who simply identified himself as Bala, said.

 * Nigerian militarymen on patrol
Bala added that: “I was told by my brother in Maiduguri to leave Damboa, at least, for now. And I just have to go with my family so that we will not fall victims during the next attack.”

He also disclosed that there remained a heavy military presence in the town and that it might be difficult for the insurgents to attack now without suffering another heavy defeat. But it is believed by our people that they will come back “sooner than later.”

When asked by journalists on measures put in place for the welfare of the internally displaced persons from Damboa, the spokesman for the North-Eastern Zonal Office of the National Emergency Management Agency, AbdulKadir Ibrahim, said: “There are adequate provisions in place in Maiduguri to accommodate the IDPs from Damboa.”

Ibrahim stated further that this was not the first time people displaced by the insurgents from their villges would be trooping to the town and he added: “we have camps at the NYSC orientation camp and other part of the town for those that may be displaced.”