Jutha Gupah,
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have targeted herdsmen, killing 21 herders while rearing their cattle in the Kukawa axis of Borno State.
The herdsmen were killed on July 25, 2023, because they trespassed by rearing their cattle in some of terrorists’ hideout-settlements.
A counter-insurgency expert, in the Lake Chad region, Malam Zagazola Makama, disclosed, yesterday (Wednesday), in Maiduguri that the ISWAP recently placed a ban on fishing, farming and rearing of cattle in any of terrorists’ hideouts.
According to him, the terrorists also accused the herders of spying on them for the Nigerian military and other security agencies in the region.
On how the herders were killed, he said; “The terrorists didn’t fire any gunshot, as they freely used machetes in beheading 21 herdsmen.”
Besides the killings, the terrorists rustled an unspecified number of cattle into the Kukawa-Doro-Kalla axis, where their settlements are located.
Similarly, on July 25, 2023, the terrorists in seven gun trucks intercepted another Fulani herdsmen in the Kukawa axis and killed six additional persons.
A military source in Maiduguri, also confirmed that; “The herdsmen were killed after they were warned not to graze their cattle on the banned axis of Kukawa.”
The source noted that surviving herders; were able to recover four bodies, while several bodies littered in the adjourning bush.
The military source told The Guardian that the terrorists also abducted seven Fulani herdsmen in Monguno on July 24, 2023.
Makama, further disclosed that the terrorists group in Gerere village of Gudumbali local council demanded for a ransom of N40 million, before they release the abductees in custody.
His words: “The terrorists busted into the border community with Chad through the Ajilari Charly 7 axis of Monguno local council.
“The affected herdsmen were forced to flee from the Lake Chad to safer locations in the border areas with Cameroon, Niger and Chad.”
End.
