Residents of Magumeri town of Borno State have accused the Nigerian military of failing to act on intelligence provided to them by locals over the last week attack by Boko Haram on their community.
They said troops on ground had ignored all verifiable intelligence provided to them that Boko Haram fighters were assembling around their community.
The residents made this revelation at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima, to ascertain the veracity of the military’s claims that the residents were aiding the Boko Haram Sect, and even allowed the terrorists live in their houses.
Last week, Nigeria Army spokesman, Brigadier General Kukasheka Usman, was quoted in the media accusing residents of conniving with Boko Haram fighters to carry out the attack.
At the fact-finding meeting held at the council chambers of Borno Government House in Maiduguri, which was attended by all heads of the security, including the Nigeria army, Police Commissioner, Director Department of State Services, DSS, Leaders of Civilian JTF and Vigilante/Hunters Association, the residents gave chilling evidence that indicted the Nigeria military in Magumeri.
The residents led by the member representing Magumeri constituency at the Borno State House of Assembly gave their testimonies on how they had been working with the military in ensuring that peace reigned in the agrarian community.
They claimed that the military were aware that the attack was about to take place days before it happened.
The Head of Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Magumeri, Mr. Bello Nuhu Haruna, who also gave his testimony said hours to the ill-fated attack, he was in the office of the Commander of the military deployment in Magumeri where he informed him of the impending attack.
“The Commanding officer, a Captain invited me to his office some hours before the attack asking for the details of the location where Boko Haram fighters were said to be assembling, and I asked him to bring out the map where I gave him all the necessary information.
“But I am not sure if anything was done in response to that before the attackers came.”
Similar the Bureau head of the DSS in Magumeri, Mr Tim Modalla, said he had gathered intelligence four days before the attack that Boko Haram fighters were gathering at a location not quite far away from Maiduguri.
He said he received an intelligence that Boko Haram members were gathering in some villages around Magumeri, and they continued to shift their base closer by the day until they eventually stormed Magumeri with about 45 vehicles and large number of motorcycles.
“We picked the report and transmitted same to the military telling them that it is possible that Boko Haram would bring attack to either Magumeri, Mobbar or Gubio towns.
“And as predicted, on the 15th of March, I was informed by a civilian-JTF that our town was about to be attacked. And I told him to quickly alert the Captain; he said he was at the military base four times to alert them of the attack”.
A well known elder and community leader of Magumeri, Goni said the Nigerian military was unfair by accusing them of connivance with the Boko Haram.
He said the reason Magumeri had never been attacked in recent times was because he led other residents in helping the security operatives with all information needed to help them fight back Boko Haram.
“On several occasion, despite my age, I would climb telecom masts together with some of our youths to ensure that we keep track of any Boko Haram movement.
“And any information we get is reliably relayed to the military”, he said.
“On the day of the attack, some few hours before it happened I got a call from Magumeri that we were about to be attacked.
“I quickly called the military commanders but nothing was done. So, how could they have accused us of helping the Boko Haram? That is not fair”, he added.
The Garrison Commander who represented the G.O.C at the meeting described the development as unfortunate, even as he said he would not speak on why the Army Spokesman had issued the statement suggesting that the resident connived with the Boko Haram.
But he confirmed receiving early intelligence from some of the community leaders informing him about the impending attacks, hours before it happened.
Borno state governor had expressed sadness over the development even as he said he would have to assist both the military and the paramilitary security operatives in Magumeri with working tools to effectively combat Boko Haram in the areas.
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