A 5-year old, boy, has been confirmed killed in the Boko Haram attack on Magumeri town of Borno State, Saturday evening.
Premium Times reported the attack on the town as well as an army base. The army later confirmed the death of three soldiers while repelling the insurgents. Six other soldiers were injured in the attack, the army said.
The Secretary to Magumeri Local Government Area, Wakil Malam-Tawu, told newsmen on Sunday that the boy was killed by a stray bullet.
Malam-Tawu said that two women and a teenager also sustained gunshot injuries in the attack.
He explained that a clinic, mosque and shops were also razed in the attack, adding that those injured were treated and discharged.
“The people have returned to their houses and slept at Magumeri while others came back in the morning. It was only one child of about 5 years old that was killed and three other people wounded by stray bullets.
“And also a rocket launcher hit one of our health clinics, including a mosque and some shops along the main road.
“This morning I visited Magumeri; the town is very calm, we paid a sympathy visit to the person who lost his child to console him.
“We also paid a visit to the areas where rocket launchers hit some of our structures.”
He dismissed as ‘misleading’ reports indicating that the insurgents had taken over the town, noting that normalcy has been restored to the area.
Although Boko Haram attacks in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe reduced in the past couple of years, the insurgents have still been able to carry out attacks mainly on soft targets.
The insurgency has caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009.
In a related development, the Borno State Government said it will convert the house of the former leader of Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf, to a museum.
The state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Mohammed Bulama, disclosed this at the sidelines of the 9th National Council for Culture, Tourism and National Orientation held in Dutse, Jigawa.
The council, with the theme “Tourism and Culture as Panacea for Nigeria’s Economic Recovery,” was organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
Bulama, in an interview, said that the museum would help to archive all things related to Boko Haram insurgency to attract tourists and for the benefit of future generation.
“We are going to convert the house of the leader of the Boko Haram sect Mohammed Yusuf where the insurgency all started from, to a museum.
“The place is called Maarcas; we want to build a museum there where all the things that had happened relating to the insurgency will be archived.
“We want to document and archive all that had happened so that our future generation will be able to have first hand information,” he said.
Yusuf, sect leader and founder of the militant Islamist group, Boko Haram was killed in 2009 and his group has continued to constitute serious security threat to Borno and other states in the North-east.
The Commissioner said the State was also planning to turn the Sambisa forest, which used to be the insurgents’ haven, to a tourist centre by reviving the already existing games reserve in the forest.
…invades kills 3 soldiers, at Borno military base
At least three soldiers were killed when Boko Haram invaded 5 Brigade Garrison military base in Magumeri, Borno State, on Saturday.
Deputy Director Public Relations, 8 task force division of the army, Timothy Antigha, disclosed this in a statement released in Maiduguri.
“At about 6.00pm suspected elements of Boko Haram terrorists attempted to attack Magumeri,” he said.
“As a prelude to the intended attack on the town, the terrorists attempted to dislodge the Forward Operational Base in Magumeri, Borno State.
“However, soldiers of 5 Brigade Garrison located in the town repelled the attack. The troops fought gallantly. Unfortunately, 3 soldiers lost their lives, while 6 others sustained injuries.”
He added that the bodies of the late soldiers had been evacuated, while those wounded were receiving medical attention.
“The 8 Division wishes to assure all residents of Magumeri that everything is being done to ensure their safety and security. To this end, they are to continue pursuing their legitimate activities without any fear,” he said.
The insurgents were prevented from taking over the town.
