By Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
A Boko Haram victim, Mohammed Isa (not real name) hospitalized at the State’s Specialists Hospital, Maiduguri said that only five of the oil workers escaped Tuesday’s ambush and attacks in the Magumeri-Gubio axis of Borno state.
Isa disclosed this at his hospital bed on Wednesday, Maiduguri; while narrating insurgents’ ambush and eventual escape of 10 oil workers of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from being abducted or killed by Boko Haram at Jiji village.
“Besides the escaped of hospitalized victims, some students of the Geology Department of the varsity, members of the Civilian JTF and other security personnel were also victims of the attack,” said Isa, resting an injured arm on a blood stained pillow.
A military source, however; yesterday regretted that there was a conspiracy by head of the securities in trying to shield the information from members of the general public.
The source said: “As at 9:00 today (Wednesday), no rescue plan has been put in place as far as I am aware from either the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) component from the Theatre Command.
“Between Wednesday and today, only ten of the victims can be confirmed to be alive. The five oil workers that escaped the attack Wednesday were hospitalized at the Borno State Specialist Hospital.”
Isa, in a fearful mood to further narrate victims’ ordeals, said:
“Also this morning around 5:00 precisely five others who escaped also called and told us their location in the Magumeri-Gubio axis of Borno state.”
Another military source told The Guardian that: “The five victims at the state specialist told us that out of the ten vehicles conveying the team from Magumeri, only their vehicle escaped the attack with bullets shots, flat tyres and smashed wind screen.
“They said the insurgents had chased them for more than ten kilometers adding that most of the vehicle and the persons involved did not make it out of Magumeri.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had last year issued directives to the NNPC to resume oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin and River Kolnami.
In compliance with the directives, the GMD of NNPC sent a delegation to Borno State in May this year who paid courtesies on Gov. Kashim Shettima and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi with the assurance that the exploration will begin in six weeks’ time as peace was gradually returning to the state.
The recent attack has however; cast doubts on prospect of the continuation of oil explorations with renewed Boko Haram attacks and the increasing insecurity in the Lake Chad region
