Benisheik, a bustling community of about 20,000 inhabitants along Maiduguri-Kano highway in Borno State was reputed for its commercial activities. Red more
It is a town known for the production of watermelon and little wonder that most travelers often stop-over in the town to buy the delicious fruit eaten in most parts of the country. Sadly, the town is now deserted; no watermelon or roasted meat (barbecue) to buy as many of the traders and inhabitants have either been killed or fled the area in the aftermath of a bloody attack on the community late Tuesday by Boko Haram insurgents.
An official of the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency, Saidu Yakubu who briefed Governor Kashim Shettima during his sympathy and assessment visit to the town on Thursday said a total of 87 corpses were picked within Benisheik and nearby bushes by the agency’s personnel. But there are fears that more corpses may still be in the forests surrounding the town. Residents of Maiduguri who saw many of the corpses being conveyed to the state capital on Thursday in a BOSEPA truck described the situation as gruesome. “The corpses were many in a truck and the stench oozing from the truck as it moved toward the specialists hospital was very offensive”, Edward Olalekan lamented. Abdulazeez Kolomi, an environmental assistant also said 143 corpses have been picked so far. “We have been picking corpses off the road sides all day and there are more in the bush. They were all travelers shot or slaughtered by Boko Haram insurgents on Tuesday night. We have so far picked up 143 corpses.”
Over 50 houses, shops, business premises and security posts being used by the police and the military were burnt. The local government office of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and military/police base at the outskirts of the town were also burnt. Also trucks and trailers conveying grains and livestock to other parts of the country were intercepted and burnt by the insurgents. Scores were wounded and by Friday afternoon when the reporter visited, Benisheikh wore a dreadful look largely deserted and completely broken. A motorist who did not want his name in print described the sight as “horrible”.
There were few women and children who appeared to have restricted their movement to their houses while many houses along the highway remain in ruins. Residents contacted in the town rebuffed attempts by the reporter to get their comments but an elderly man who identified himself as Ba Kaka pointedly said the tragedy was more severe. “It is now that we are beginning to notice that some people are missing. We have checked among those killed but they aren’t there. I haven’t seen this kind of thing ( attack) before, we don’t know what we’ve done to deserve this”, he said.
The day of the attack
News of a fresh attack on Benisheikh, the third offensive on the town by the Boko Haram insurgents filtered into Maiduguri, the Borno State capital late Tuesday with very sketchy details due to the shut down of telephone services and networks by the security hierarchy in the country since May 16 following the declaration of a state of emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan. However, the picture of the attack became clearer by noon on Thursday. It was greeted with initial skepticism, then disbelief and disappointment in the state. Residents argued that Beneshiek should not have been under persistent attacks by the Boko Haram because of its location along a major and busy highway connecting three neighboring states of Kano, Bauchi and Yobe to Borno. “No one would expect that Boko Haram will always have a field day anytime they come to the area because of the number of checkpoints mounted by soldiers and policemen around and along the road”, a retired police officer who did not want to be identified said.
Sunday Sun observed that there are about four military and police checkpoints between Auno, a village along the same highway, about 15 kilometers to Maiduguri and Beneshiek while the youthful vigilante popularly called Civilian JTF conducts stop and search on travelers and motorists entering or going out of Beneshiek. These security checks were intensified in the wake of past attacks on the town by the insurgents and killing of some youth volunteers at Mainok, a nearby village along the same highway. Residents therefore maintained that no one would have expected the insurgency to have the effrontery to launch further attacks in such area especially with the presence of security personnel . It is believed the presence of soldiers and policemen along the road should have scared off the insurgents from daring to launch any offensive. “The men (soldiers and police) should have also fought the insurgency to repel their attack but I learnt the Boko Haram men were carrying heavy weapons like RPGS and anti-aircraft guns”, the former police officer stated. But as the brightness of the sunny evening was dissolving into thick, cloudy darkness last Tuesday, the insurgents drove into Benisheikh, headquarters of Kaga Local Government allegedly in military fatigue and in a convoy of about 15 trucks. “They stormed the town at about 6:45pm. I met them on my way to Maiduguri in about 15 Hilux vehicles and a Volkswagen golf car”, a resident said. Sources said the manner in which the insurgents took on the troops around the town was a source of concern to the authorities. “How could insurgents sack military men from their outpost with RPG, then and then go into the building to set it ablaze?” a government official asked.
Nigerian Army reacts
The Brigade Commander of the 21 Armored Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Brigadier General Muhammed Idris Yusuf, who accompanied Governor Shettima to Benisheikh on an assessment of the carnage, pleaded with the people not to lose confidence in the military. He said the authorities would send a reinforcement of more troops to protect the area. “We share your pains and we promise to beef-up security around Benisheikh. We have not abandoned you as you thought, but our troops ran out of ammunition that was why they withdrew to reinforce. They are now back and more are coming”, he stated.
Government’s palliative measures
Governor Shettima who appealed to the aggrieved residents promised government readiness to inject about N50 million to rebuild houses destroyed by the insurgents. He also announced monetary assistance to families of those killed in the attack. “Nothing can compensate for human lives, no amount, but our hearts grieve with you at this critical period”, the governor said while condoling the people. He also condemned the attacks during his meeting with families of victims and traders whose shops and business premises were burnt as well as community leaders.
Apart from the cash donations, the governor disclosed that government would provide and distribute assorted food items to the people to cushion the effect of the attacks. He announced the constitution of a 5 member committee comprising the House of Assembly member representing the area (Kaga state constituency), the local government chairman and leader of the youth vigilante group. The committee, according to the governor, is expected to carry out a thorough assessment and recommend measures to enhance surveillance and help affected victims. He said government would continue to work closely with security agencies to ensure that more security personnel are deployed to their communities.
Telephone lock down
There are fears that the insurgents are regrouping to launch coordinated attacks especially in towns and villages around the state capital. Residents also argued that the continuous lock down of telephone services and networks was hampering provision of credible information to security agencies. It was believed that information about the attack on Benisheik could have been passed round through telephone calls had there been GSM services but many motorists and travelers ran into the bloodletting unknown to them and subsequently became victims. “Many people that traveled to Damaturu, Yobe State to make phone calls to their families and business associates fell victims on Tuesday while returning. But had there been telephone services, they wouldn’t have traveled to Damaturu, a distance of about 120 kilometers”,a resident said.
From TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, Maiduguri
CULLED FROM THE SUN NEWSPAPER
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