Villagers flee Chibok to avoid attacks

Residents of Chibok and surrounding villages have been deserting their homes as a result of repeated attacks from suspected Boko Haram members.

A resident who spoke anonymously to TheCable said the departures have been increasing since Wednesday when the head of the local vigilante group popularly called civilian JTF was murdered on Wednesday.

He said the vigilante group had forestalled potential Boko Haram attacks on many occasions, forcing the sect to reinforce in order to execute a reprisal attack on Kaya, a village in Dambowa Local Government.

“Boko Haram had been trying to attack Kaya, but the civilian JTF was  preventing them. So yesterday, they came in numbers and they were able to overpower the vigilante group in a fight that led to the death of the chairman,” he said.

“As I speak to ysou, all of us are afraid. We know we are not safe. Most of us do not sleep in our homes anymore. We go to the hill at night and return to the house around 7am.”

He lamented the exodus of Chibok residents, blaming it on the inability of security personnel to contain the situation.

“Many have left for places like Gombe, Mubi in Adamawa and Maiduguri. We are really afraid. I can’t lie to you,” he added.

“Even the soldiers are unable to assist us. During the attack on Sunday, the information got to the soldiers around 8am but they did not go there until 1pm.

“Boko Haram operated there for more than one hour. In fact, they came with motorcycles that they used to chase those who escaped. Imagine those who would have survived if the soldiers had gone to their rescue?”

Asked why he has remained in Chibok despite the worrisome situation, he responded: “Which place is safe? Didn’t you hear what happened in Mubi the other time?

“Nowhere is safe. Although I am very worried, I have chosen to stay back with my family because security is not guaranteed anywhere.”

Another resident, who confirmed that he would be relocating from Chibok anytime from now, described the situation as very critical.

“The situation is very critical. People are running out of the town seriously. There is nobody in Kaya Village now and even surrounding villages. Nobody knows when these people will attack again,” he said.

“The soldiers are not helping matters at all. They are around, but they do not respond to attacks. That’s why people are leaving. There’s nothing we can do since government cannot come to our rescue.

“Even me, as I am talking to you, I am planning to relocate my family from Borno State. I will leave my farm and everything I have. Life is more important. We have no other option than to run for our lives.”

Chibok and its environs have been under persistent Boko Haram attacks of late. The most recent high-scale raid by the sect was only four days ago — Sunday June 29, 2014 — when gunmen attacked Kwada and Kautikari Villages, some 15km away from Chibok, killing at least 44.