Despite ‘ceasefire’, suspected Boko Haram militants kill nine in Borno villages

Boko Haram has carried out fresh attacks in two villages in Borno state, according to Reuters, despite the ceasefire announced on Friday.

A total of nine persons were killed in the attacks, which happened on Friday and Saturday.

In Friday night’s attack, suspected insurgents killed at least one person and destroyed homes in Abadam village, while in another on Saturday morning, at least eight people were killed in Dzur village.

Alex Badeh, an air chief marshal and chief of defence staff, announced on Friday that the sect had agreed to suspend its attacks. There is therefore the possibility that the attacks were masterminded by a Boko Haram faction negatively disposed to a peace deal.

But Ahmad Sakilda, the only Nigerian journalist to have gained unfettered access to Boko Haram, dismissed the news, saying that the government lacks the right approach to tackle insurgency.

“I guess Nigerians are tired and as such, any news that offers respite on this protracted war between Nigeria and Boko Haram is always welcomed,” he had written on Twitter.

“What is most worrying here is, government at the highest level and the intelligence formations in Nigeria has embraced this good news. This shows lack of understanding of the reality that this is an ideology that can only be neutralised after long hardwork that is yet to start.”

However, the insurgents reportedly killed one person at Abadam village on Friday and eight others at Dzur village on Saturday.

Nigerians had received the news of the ceasefire with mixed reactions; while some expressed delight, others called for caution.

According to the terms of the ceasefire, female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state who were abducted on April 14, would be released in batches.