Following a Boko Haram attack on March 4, there are indications that over 300 residents abducted from Ngoshe town in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State are being subjected to slavery in the terrorists’ den.

The development follows threats issued by the terrorist group, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which claimed responsibility for the abduction.

Recall that on March 5 suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a military base in Ngoshe, dispersing soldiers before wreaking havoc in the community.

The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the attack, saying many residents were missing. He stated, “An unknown number of civilians yet to be ascertained were also affected and killed. Some are still missing, and probably some were abducted and taken towards the Mandara Mountains.”

The terrorist group acknowledged the attack and the abduction.

In a one-minute, thirty-second video obtained by our correspondent, the leader of the group said the victims would be converted into slaves.

He stated, “In the name of Allah, the most merciful and most beneficial. People in this town are saying that we cannot conquer Ngoshe. With the help of God, we have already conquered the town. We have slaughtered males and females in Ngoshe and we have enslaved the others. It was Almighty Allah that said that we should enslave them and go with them.”

The group further disclosed that it intended to claim the community, rename it, and convert it into its province.

“By the grace of God, we are going to stay in Ngoshe and make it part of our province and we are going to do the Eid-el-Fitr Salah after the end of Ramadan in Ngoshe,” the leader added.

While official records of the victims’ identities are yet to be compiled, the District Secretary of Ngoshe, Shuaibu Dabawa, alleged that more than 300 residents were abducted.

He said, “When they attacked, we heard sporadic gunshots, then fled into the bush for safety, where we spent the night. More than 300 people were abducted by terrorists during the attack.”

The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, told The PUNCH that efforts were ongoing to determine the actual number of victims.

He stated, “On missing persons, we are in the process of verification; the actual figure is yet to be ascertained.”

He also confirmed that the displaced victims were currently in good condition, adding that the government had taken steps to ensure they received humanitarian assistance.

“The state government, through the State Emergency Management Agency, has dispatched palliatives to all the victims and each household. The items include rice, sugar, millet, and blankets,” he said.

Tar added that healthcare and sanitation officials had also been deployed to prevent a disease outbreak.

Ndume calls for action

The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to regularly brief Nigerians on efforts being made to tackle insurgency and banditry across the country.

Ndume made the call in a statement on Sunday amid outrage over the recent killing of residents of Ngoshe in Borno State and the reported abduction of over 100 women and children by insurgents.

Reacting to the incident, Ndume, a former Senate Leader and a native of the affected community, urged the President to match his declaration with sustained military operations against insurgents’ strongholds.

He said, “The government should walk the talk on emergency by engaging in coordinated and sustainable attacks on the targets, especially in the North East.

“They should carry out consistent clearance operations in Lake Chad, Sambisa forest and the Mandara because the recent attacks were well coordinated by the insurgents.

“For example, the Ngoshe massacre was carried out by the insurgents from the Mandara mountains, assisted by others from Sambisa and Lake Chad, using their known routes, including the Mandara mountains, Lake Chad and Sambisa.”

Ndume also urged the President to establish a situation room at the Presidential Villa to monitor security developments and communicate directly with Nigerians.

“Since the President declared a state of emergency, he should have a situation room in his office in the Villa. He should use that to brief Nigerians directly. They want to hear from him from time to time,” he said.

The lawmaker further proposed the establishment of air component centres across the three geopolitical zones in the North to strengthen aerial operations against insurgents.

“Nigeria also deserve an Air Components Centre in the three geo-political zones in the North with attack helicopters deployed to the areas,” he added.

Ndume, however, commended the Nigerian military for responding to the Ngoshe attack, though he noted that the intervention came late.

The former Senate Chief Whip also reiterated his call for the frontloading of security agencies’ budgets to enable faster procurement of arms and ammunition needed to combat insurgents.

“The Nigerian Army budget is insignificant compared to what is in the budget; that’s less than 10 per cent of the budget, and the Nigerian Army budget should be frontloaded.

“The President should ensure that the Nigerian security agencies’ budget is frontloaded. Even if we can’t purchase attack helicopters, we should consider hiring them to be deployed to black spot areas,” he said. (The PUNCH)