Dozens of suspected Boko Haram
militants in Magumeri forest, Borno, have turned to human eaters after being
stranded for days without food or water.
Magumeri forest is about 150
kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.
Mallam Momodu Bukar, a suspected
militant, told newsmen on Saturday in Maiduguri that he fled the camp at the
forest on Thursday when it became obvious that he was going to be eaten.
“I thank God that I escaped because I
would have been slaughtered by now to provide meal for my colleagues at the
camp,” Bukar said.
The suspected militant was captured
by a Youth Vigilante Group, popularly known as the civilian JTF at Baga Road
motor park, Maiduguri, on Friday..
He said the militants had been in the
forest since May, when they were dislodged from Marte, Marte Local Government
Area, by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO) after the
declaration of the State of Emergency.
“Our group, consisting of about 300
well armed combatants, headed for Magumeri on the orders of the sect leader,
Abubakar Shekau, shortly before the military took over Marte Camp.
“We have been wandering in the
forest. We have exhausted our food and water supply, and so, everybody became
hungry,” Bukar said.
He also said that they lost contact
with Shekau due to the closure of GSM services by the Defence Headquarters.
“It all started last Monday when
three of the combatants in camp died of acute hunger, and it became obvious
that all of us will die if action was not taken.
“The leader of the group, Abu Omar,
directed that a non combatant member be slaughtered to provide meal for the
rest.
“The meat provided meal for the
combatant for just two days and another person was killed in the same manner on
Wednesday.
“So, it became certain that I might
be the next person since I am also a non combatant member.”
Bukar said he escaped after
volunteering to help search for drinking water for the group in a nearby
village.
“I left the camp on Thursday evening
after agreeing to fetch water from the village.
“After leaving the camp, I started
running until I arrived at Magumeri town, so, I slept in the motor park before
boarding a vehicle to Maiduguri with the little money on
me.” he said.
Bukar said that he was apprehended
immediately he arrived at the motor park in Maiduguri by the youth vigilante
group.
Commenting, an official of the vigilante group, Mallam Ajid Asheik, said
the suspect would be handed to the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore
Order (ORO) for investigation.(NAN
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