By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
Gubio and
Magumeri, were never captured by Boko Haram, the residents said at the weekend.
Signs in the two towns during the visit of our correspondent, have equally
shown that the town could not have fallen last week to the terrorist group.
Some of the residents of the towns, who spoke to our correspondent, said the
towns were attacked but that the insurgents were driven back by the soldiers.
A visit to the two towns by our correspondent on Saturday showed people going
about their normal activities with no signs that it recently ever overran by
Boko Haram as reported in some media last week.
Though some of the people who spoke to our correspondent in both town admitted
that it was attacked by the insurgents, but they were quick to add that they
were repelled by the soldiers and men of the civilian joint task force who
engaged them in gunfire.
In Magumeri, soldiers were seen in vehicles stationed at different calculated
locations watching over the town.
Policemen were equally seen on the roads, taking position and watching over the
town.
A tour of the town did not show any visible signs of massive destruction as
just about five building were torched in the attack on the town by insurgents
last week.
Both commercial and private vehicles were seen on the road as the resident of
the town went about their business without fear.
A resident of the town, Muhammed Ibrahim, who spoke to our correspondent,
admitted that there was an attack by the insurgents last week by that it was
immediately put to check by the military.
In Gubio, there was no suspension of economic activities with food sellers seen
selling their wares, and many other traders and artisans going about their
trade.
The market in the town was full of traders and people who had come to make
purchases as everyone seems to have forgotten the attack that took place few
days earlier.
It was apparent that it was attacked by Boko Haram as our correspondent could
count about five buildings torched.
The buildings torched include two in the vacated military base and the home of
a federal lawmaker and two public buildings.
Some members of the youth vigilance group who spoke to our correspondent, said
the insurgents were in the town but could not stay long as they were driven
back by the soldiers who were assisted by the men of the Civilian Joint Task
Force.
One of the men of the youth vigilance group, Yunus Adam told our correspondent
that there was gunfire exchange and some of the insurgents used the opportunity
to torch some apparently selected targets.
The head of the military counter-insurgency in the Northeast (Theatre Commander
of Operation Lafiya Dole) , Brig. Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, who conducted
journalists round part of the state, including Gubio, Magumeri and Jakana took
time out to address the troops and members of the public.
The troops, he told to be alive to their pledge to the nation to always fight
for her territorial integrity, unity and suppress any threat.
He told the member of the public, to cooperate with the troops who are out to
ensure that the threat of the insurgents were bought to an end.
He asked them to stay in their homes, promising that needed strategies are now
in place to see that the insurgency was put to bed.
He said: “This is your home and no criminal should come and send you parking.”
He added that: “Boko Haram are criminals and are never crusaders of Islam for
Islam does not allow your livestock to be stolen, your children forcefully
married and your wives raped.”
Adeniyi, who later addressed journalists, said that at no time was the trooped
withdrawn from any town or village.
He said what was evolved was a new strategy that that took the soldiers from
the trenches to the vehicles and allowed for mobility which made them to be
fluid and ready to take on the insurgents at all times and at places.
He said: “The strategy of the fighting in the trenches that was evolved during
the First World War cannot continue to be used, the troops need to be fluid to
take on the insurgents at all times.”