SAN FRANCISCO, August 13, (THEWILL) – Residents of Konduga, one of the Borno villages attacked last weekend by Boko Haram, on Monday, gave a graphic account of how 52 persons were killed in the attack.
The terrorists, numbering about 200 were said to have appeared from the bush in seven Golf Volkswagen cars and deployed sophisticated weapons on the villagers who were at the various mosques for the early morning prayer.
In Tsohuwar Kasuwa (old market) community of Konduga, survivors said the gunmen surrounded the village and attack people in various mosques during the early morning prayer .
The villagers said they lost 47 members of the community to the attack while the insurgents lost six of their members. The 26 persons who were critically injured, according to them, were taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching hospital for treatment.
“They (the gunmen) surrounded our mosques and shot sporadically at us. While the men among the attackers were busy killing people, the women participated in the burning of houses,’’ Modu Kolo, a survivor of the attack told a group of journalists which accompanied the state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, to the village on assessment of the mayhem.
Kolo said houses were burnt as a distraction to facilitate easy escape by the insurgents who were being pursued by some soldiers and the youth volunteer group who came after them.
Mohammed Muktar, a 20-year-old man, disclosed that his father was shot dead while performing ablution in front of a mosque.
Another survivor , Goni Bukar, said his wife was killed inside his house while seven of his children were still missing.
The district head of the area, Zanna Masu Yale, told the governor that 43 corpses of innocent villagers were initially found immediately after the attack, but four other bodies of innocent persons were later discovered along with five corpses of the insurgents.
He also told the governor that about 50 houses, two cars and many motorcycles were burnt down in the town.
Shettima , while condoling with the people, offered a cash donation of N250,000 each to the families of the 43 persons killed in the attack, saying it was a palliative to cushion the hardship they were facing following the death of their loved ones.
He also donated N5 million and four vehicles to boost the activities of the civilian JTF.
Those whose houses were burnt were also given cash donations of between N100,000 to N400,000.
‘’ What happened to us is unfortunate and you should understand that whatever happen to you affect us all and we identify with you at this hour of grief,’’ he told the people, asking them to continue to pray for the restoration of peace.
He also set up a committee headed by the member representing the area in the House of Assembly, Hon. Ali Dalori, to advise on modalities to make the place secure and work out the compensation to be paid to the victims.
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