Boko Haram: 5,000 Monguno residents arrive in Maiduguri

About 5, 000 people that fled Monguno during Sunday’s attack by Boko Haram on the town, arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital yesterday.

The Islamist sect launched simultaneous attacks on three major military locations in Monguno (north), Konduga, in central and Njimtilo, a settlement west of Maiduguri early Sunday morning. But while the insurgents overran Monguno town and the military base in the town, Task Force Battalion, attacks on central Konduga town and Njimtilo were repelled by troops, policemen and youth vigilance group popularly called Civilian JTF.
Scores of people and soldiers died in the attacks on Monguno and Maiduguri while over 200 insurgents were also killed. Thousands of people fled Monguno on Sunday as the town fell into the insurgents’ hands.
However, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 5,000 people that arrived in Maiduguri yesterday have been registered and camped at a newly-created International Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) northeast zone in conjunction with the SEMA has so far registered over 5,000 IDPs trooping in from Monguno and environs,” NEMA northeast spokesman. Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said in a statement.
“A housing estate being constructed by the state government at Gubio Road has been converted into an IDP camp to cater for the influx. Emergency workers provided water and medicaments to the IDPs on arrival. Initial assessment shows that tents, beddings and food items were the immediate needs of the IDPs and efforts are in top gear to deliver the items to them before the day runs out,” he added.
Meanwhile, relative calm returned to Maiduguri yesterday as commercial activities picked up after the expiration of the 24 hours curfew imposed on the city by the military on Sunday.  This was after the attack. Relations and organisations of the deceased victims of the attack were seen at the State Specialists Hospital mortuary picking their corpses.