On 28 July 2013, a leader of vigilante, Aliko Musa and his group stormed villages, to hunt Boko Haram members in Borno state, but the sect retaliated with big fire power. This resulted in the killing of no fewer than twenty civilians and five vigilantes.
A military source who spoke with the newsmen disclosed that at least 25 people were confirmed killed in separate attacks by suspected members of the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, on that fateful Saturday.
In an email sent from Baga, the spokesman of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Lieutenant Haruna Sani, said at least 20 civilians died after the terrorist group launched what appeared to be a reprisal attack in Dawashi Village.
Sani said the members of the youth vigilante, Civilian JTF, had earlier invaded the town and arrested some members of the Boko Haram – an action the terrorists blamed on the connivance of the villages
In the statement Lieutenant Musa revealed that, “A group of Civilian Joint Task Force from Maiduguri stormed the village Dawashi in search of Boko Haram members when the suspected sect members came armed and fired sporadic shots that killed over twenty innocent civilians while a dozen secured serious gunshot injury. The victims are mostly fishermen and traders who pursue their legitimate business in the area.
“As part of the Excellent Civil Military Relations and humanitarian gesture demonstrated by Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) a dozen of Boko Haram victims affected by the attack in Dawashe District of Kukawa Local Government Borno State got medical treatment in the Headquarters Field Ambulance in Baga.
The leader of the vigilante, Aliko Musa, said, the outing was a huge loss to them as five of their brave minds were killed by the outlawed Boko Haram.
However, the spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, denied the figure even though he confirmed the Mainok attack. According to him, only one of the youth vigilante died while one other sustained injuries.
The killings occur despite a ceasefire the Nigerian government led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan said it achieved with sect, and despite the heavy military presence since a state of emergency was declared in the State in May 2013.
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