Atleast 90 residential houses, a Church, clinic, nine shops and other properties worth millions of naira were razed in Debiro, Tarfa and Dakwaima villages of Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, when some insurgents, suspected to be of Boko Haram members, invaded the communities.
This was disclosed, on Monday, by the District Head, Alhaji Mohammad Bukar, while briefing the Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur, who paid a sympathy visit to the affected communities.
It was gathered that lack of telecommunications network in these communities delayed firsthand information on the attacks getting out.
Sources said local hunters who repelled the attacks succeeded in killing three members of the insurgents, while one resident sustained bullet wounds on his hand from the attackers; but none died.
Biu council is one of the peaceful community in Southern Borno, where both Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai and the Deputy Governor hail from.
The traditional ruler, who addressed the Deputy Governor and his entourage, during the sympathy visit said: “The insurgents stormed the villages about 6:30 p.m.
“They operated till 10:25p.m., and burnt down 90 residential Houses, nine shops, one church, one dispensary/clinic, one tractor and carted away essential commodities as well as food items.”
Kadafur, while sympathising with the people of the communities, urged them to take the incident as an act of God and continue to pray for lasting peace, adding that vigilante group of hunters in the area will be well equipped and provided with monthly stipends to help defend the area.
