Boko Haram: Nigerians want hunters not the military

•Local hunters
Photo: AP

The three North eastern states in Nigeria under the ceaseless attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, may not have taken a vote of no-confidence in the Nigerian military. But from all indications, the people are getting fed up with the military’s response to the Boko Haram menace.

And instead, residents of the states believe that it is time they resorted to self help, by engaging the services of their hunters and members of the vigilante groups to fight the Boko haram insurgents.

Residents of Borno state on Friday appealed to the state government to enlist the services of local hunters and vigilantes in liberating towns captured by the Boko Haram insurgents.

A cross section of those interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri said that the state must emulate neigbouring Adamawa by allowing hunters and members of the vigilance groups in the state to assist in tackling the problem.

Alhaji Jubrin Gunda, a legal practitioner in Maiduguri, said the Borno government must take a bold step toward ending the occupation of its towns by insurgents.

Gunda, who is the Secretary, Borno Vigilante Group called Civilian JTF said “it is time for us to act toward recapturing the towns seized by the insurgents.’’

He said he had monitored developments that led to recapturing of the towns by the hunters in Adamawa.

“I have been in constant touch with the Adamawa group because some of our vigilantes are part of the team.

“I monitor the operations from the beginning and I am very proud of them,” Gunda, also a former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Biu branch, said.

He said he was optimistic that the group would recapture Gwoza, Bama and other Borno towns seized by the insurgents once given the opportunity.

Alhaji Ali Mamman, another resident, supported Gunda’s claim, saying that the hunters had previously offered to go after the insurgents in Borno.

He said “some few moths ago, hunters assembled at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri and sought for permission to go after the insurgents in Sambisa but the authorities declined the request.’’

Mamman said the hunters would have overrun the insurgents long ago.

Boko Haram’s Abubakar Shekau

Mr Samuel Jigo, a civil servant, said that the hunters were the only group that could tackle the problem “because they use magical powers.

“The insurgents are also using magic black power, that is why they capture people easily. Since the hunters too have their own black power, it is easy for them to defeat them.’’

The people of Adamawa state meanwhile have lauded the collaborative efforts of vigilance groups, hunters and the military in combating the Boko Haram insurgency in the State.

The commendation was made by a cross section of people who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the recapture of Mubi by the combined team of military, hunters and the civilian JTF.

The residents said such efforts should be encouraged by communities in the North-East to curtail the activities of the insurgents.

“This is good news and we expect more of such collaboration from communities in the North-East,” Fati Husara said.

Nigerian Army

Ahmed Yerima, the Chairman of Hong Local Government, also lauded the collaborative initiative to dislodge the fleeing insurgents from Mubi who entered Hong.

James Ishaku, Rhoda Ezekiel, Shuaibu Musa and Maryam Ibrahim, who are students of tertiary institutions in Mubi, lauded the development and urged government to mobilise youths in the affected areas to form vigilance groups to further assist the military.

Gov. Bala Ngilari of Adamawa had on Thursday announced that the insurgents had been flushed out of Mubi by a combined team of military, hunters and the civilian JTF.

“They were able to go to Mubi and they have flushed out the insurgents who are now fleeing Mubi”, Ngilari said.

He urged the people of Adamawa not to panic but to remain vigilant and pass any relevant security information to the authorities.

NAN reports that Yola is calm, although people from Hong and Gombi local government areas who saw the fleeing insurgents from Mubi passing through their villages are trooping to the capital city.

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