SAN FRANCISCO, September 19, (THEWILL) – The Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) on Thursday said it had so far recovered 142 corpses from the highway and surrounding bushes in Benisheikh after Tuesday’s ambush by Boko Haram gunmen on the Maiduguri/Damaturu highway.
An official of the agency, Saidu Yakubu, told journalists who accompanied the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, to Benisheikh that on Thursday alone, 87 corpses were evacuated from the road and surrounding bushes even as the evacuation continued.
The swollen corpses of three soldiers killed by the gunmen were seen lying on the highway on Thursday afternoon during the visit to the area.
Governor Shettima and his entourage were welcomed to the area by the ugly site of two compactor waste evacuation trucks loaded with corpses.
Residents told the governor that 14 civilians and five armed personnel including two soldiers and three policemen were killed in Benisheikh town by the insurgents.
The residents also said 15 trucks, 18 vehicles, eight motorcycles and six bicycles were set ablaze by the 300 gunmen who stormed the town.
The terrorists were also said to have set ablaze about 150 houses, shops and made away with 10 vehicles from Benisheikh town.
The military post in the area and the local government secretariat were also attacked with rocket as their roofs were scattered.
Caretaker Chairman of Kaga Local Government Council, Alhaji Bunu Kaigama, told the governor that “14 persons lost their lives within the town yesterday from the attack by Boko Haram members,” adding “Many others were killed along the road to Maiduguri and Damaturu.”
Shettima who was on a condolence visit to Benishiek to see the extent of damage inflicted on the town assured that the state government will rebuild all the houses destroyed by the insurgents .
“As soon as I leave here, I will constitute a five man committee which will be given N50 million to come and commence reconstruction work immediately.
“Everyone who has lost something will be compensated to enable them have a fresh start. All vehicles burnt or taken away by the insurgents will equally be replaced”, he said, adding that “Families of the 14 deceased shall be given N250,000 each.”
An officer Lt. Col. Babalola told the governor that two soldiers and three policemen also lost thier lives in the encounter.
An elderly man, Jibrin Shuwa, said “The Boko Haram came and took away all our foodstuff living us with nothing to eat.”
However, the state Commissioner of Police, lawal Tanko and Brigade Commander of 21 Armoured Brigade, Brig. Gen. Idris Mohammed Yusuf, have assured the residents that more troops would be deployed to the area to secure it against future attack.
“Our office was destroyed but we will still send more of our men to work closely with the soldiers. We will give them logistics,” Tanko promised.
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