Survivor Of Attack On Borno Village Recounts Ordeal

Survivor of the Wednesday attack launched by the suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Barderi village, Borno State, recounted the ordeal.

Recalling the events of the fateful day, when the ghastly attack claimed lives of around 45 people, Masy Abbari said the insurgents had arrived around
9 p.m. and directed all to gather in front of the mosque for Islamic preaching. The gunmen were dressed in military uniform and said they had come just to preach Islam to the villagers.

As soon as the unaware residents obeyed, the gunmen opened fire.

"Suddenly they made signs to one another and then started firing at us. They went after most of us that were quick to escape, still shooting and killing them in the bush. Many old men and even women either got killed or were seriously injured."

Speaking with Premium Times, he disclosed that some people, including him, had managed to hide at a distance from the village and spent the night in the bush.

"We had to wait till day break before we crept back to our village to see if there are people there whom we can help. But when we got there, I could not stand the sight of corpses that littered the village, some in the bush, some still bleeding. I counted over 40 people killed within the village, but those killed in the bush could be more; we tried to bury them all day."

The farmer then left for Maiduguri, 25km far from the village, in search for his wife and 4 children, that had fled, Luckily he found them all safe in the house of his relative.

It would be recalled that violent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents continue in the North-East of the country, especially in Borno State, despite the fact that emergency rule was imposed and recently prolonged by the National Assembly in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states.