Boko Haram Digs in, Renames Mubi Madinatul Islam

Boko Haram Digs in, Renames Mubi Madinatul Islam

05 Nov 2014

Boko Haram fighters

•  Sultan expresses worry over annexation of towns
• Over 16 killed in attacks on Gombe, Katsina villages

Aminu Mohammed in Sokoto, Daji Sani in Yola, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Katsina and Segun Awofadeji in Gombe 


Despite the platitudes by the Nigerian military, Boko Haram has consolidated its occupation of the strategic town of Mubi in Adamawa State, among other towns in the North-east, and has renamed it  “Madinatul Islam”, meaning the city of Islam and peace.

The terrorist sect has also assured trapped residents in the ancient city of the dividends of democracy, security, freedom and an all-inclusive government, and has taken the step of asking other residents who have fled to return to their homes.

The insurgents had sacked Nigerian troops from Mubi last week after a fierce battle and taken full control to establish their authority on the conquered town.

A trapped resident in Mubi, Mallam Aliyu Bala, confirmed that the insurgents have renamed Mubi and given it a new name - Madinatul Islam.


He said the insurgents have mounted checkpoints and are monitoring every nook and cranny as they mount surveillance all over the town, adding that they are making efforts to establish a new government in Mubi so as to extend its territories by conquering more towns in the North-east.


Bala, however, said despite the promises of safety and security by the sect, thousands of residents have been sneaking out of the city for the fear of the unknown.



Also commenting, Sunday Joshua Wugira, a legal practitioner, who went to Maiha town to pick up his aged parents who fled to the town from Mubi, said despite the assurance by the insurgents, several trapped residents were still fleeing, including soldiers.

“I was in Maiha a few hours ago, the pathetic plight of the people I saw was simply beyond imagination. We were in a commercial bus when some fleeing soldiers said we must adjust for them to get space in the bus to flee, which we objected.
“It’s unfortunate that even soldiers
join civilians to run away,” he said.

The insurgents, nonetheless, have continued to appeal to displaced residents of captured communities in Adamawa State to return to their homes as they continue to be assured of safety.
Residents said the insurgents have informed them that they would be more secure in the new Islamic Caliphate than in the Nigerian state that is unable to provide them with security and the basic necessities of life.

One of the trapped residents, Bello, said the insurgents have been persuading them daily that the people should give them a chance to exert their authority on them promising a peaceful atmosphere.

The insurgents have also been reportedly persuading the residents of the four local governments of Michika, Madagali, Mubi North and Mubi South of Adamawa State to go about their normal businesses.



A resident of Uba town, Mallam Salisu Baba, said normal activities have started picking up in the captured territories as Boko Haram enjoins residents to go about their daily affairs, while asking them to open their shops for business.



The resident added that the insurgents have warned politicians not to try to hold any elections in the state, vowing to scuttle the polls and restating their resolve to capture the whole of Adamawa State in no distant future.




“The insurgents have assured people of unassailable freedom and have been telling shop owners to open their shops threatening that anyone who fails to open his or her shop will have the shops broken into.



“Whenever the insurgents want any commodity, they pay for it. This encouraged meat sellers, tea sellers and others to open for business.



“They provided security during the market day in Uba town last Thursday while promising to continue to give traders and residents who come to the area utmost security as long as they comply with Islamic tenets.



“They have opened one of the filling stations belonging to A.A Garba in Uba town, as motorists troops to buy petrol due to high demand,” Baba revealed.



In another development, as part of measures to contain the security situation in Adamawa, the
state government has banned the operation of commercial motorcycles in seven local government areas.




A statement by Mr. Phineas Elisha, Director Press and Public Affairs to the governor, urged the public and security operatives to ensure compliance.




The affected local governments are Hong, Gombi, Song, Girei, Numan, Demsa and Fufore.




Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, on Tuesday joined other northern leaders to express concern over the annexation of towns and villages in the North-east by the Boko Haram insurgents, describing the situation as sad and worrisome.

On Monday, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zanna Umar Mustapha, had decried the annexation of several towns in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

Listing them, Atiku had said Boko Haram presently controls about 16 local government areas in Borno (9), Adamawa (5) and Yobe (2).

Also concerned about the disheartening development, the Sultan called on the federal government to provide sophisticated gadgets, ammunition and equipment to security agents to combat the insurgency and ensure proper surveillance in the border areas.

The monarch made the call at a North-west Zonal Command Travel and Alien Control (TAC) land border security seminar held at Giginya Hotel, Sokoto.

He noted with deep concern the security situation in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States where insurgents have taken many towns and villages.

“We are deeply worried over the insecurity in the country. We have seen that insurgents have taken many towns and villages in the North-east. Who knows the next town they will move to and where will they will stop?

“So we must come together irrespective of tribe and religion to confront the problems bedevilling our country,” the Sultan said.

He underscored the need for the federal government to provide the security agents with modern gadgets and sophisticated equipment to ensure proper surveillance at the border posts, adding that though border surveillance was expensive, there was a need to equip security agents with sophisticated gadgets that could detect goods coming into Nigeria from neighbouring countries.

The Sultan advised the government to ensure that money budgeted for security is used for the purpose it is meant for in order to achieve the desired objectives.

He also called on the political leadership in the country to fear God and provide good governance to Nigerians.

In his remarks, Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, said Nigerians were currently going through pains as a result of the insurgency in the North-east.

He also urged the federal government to provide adequate funds and equipment to the security agents in order to patrol the borders effectively.

“We know that the border posts are porous but the problem has to do with lack of modern gadgets. You cannot fight crime with bare hands and unless security agents are effectively equipped, we will not achieve our desired objectives,” Wamakko said.

However, as the Sultan and the Sokoto governor proffered solutions to ending the insurgency, Boko Haram continued to wreak havoc on the North-east where gunmen suspected to be members of the terrorist sect invaded Nafada, the headquarters of Nafada Local Government Area, a Gombe northern border town on Tuesday.

This was the second attack by the sect on Gombe State in less than a week.

A source in Nafada told THISDAY that the marauders invaded the town on about 50 motorbikes between 11 am and noon and more than 10 people were suspected to have been killed in the process.

He said they went in through Ngalda, a neighbouring community in Yobe State and fired at the soldiers at the checkpoint located at the entrance of the town.

He said they went straight to the police station, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat, then the local government secretariat.

According to him, they thereafter went to the residence of one Sheikh Adamu Misira and opened fire on him and the people around him, killing over 10 people in the process.

The source said he could not ascertain how many security agents were killed at the checkpoint but one of them called him on the phone to say he managed to escape unhurt.

“In Nafada, they went straight to the police station and opened fire on it. From there, they went to the local government secretariat and opened fire.

“They thereafter went to the house of Sheikh Adamu Misira and opened fire on him and his people, killing at least more than 10 people on the spot.

“I cannot tell how any soldiers died, but one of them spoke to me on the phone saying he escaped but did not comment on the casualties,” he said.

He said nobody as at the time of filing this report had left Nafada.

“They told us that nobody should run, everybody should stay put and nobody should leave his home and that if we heard of the arrival of security operatives, we should just go inside and lock ourselves indoors and leave them to us,” he said.

At the time of speaking to the source at 4.10 pm yesterday, he said the security agents were yet to arrive the town.

When contacted, the telephone of the spokesman of the Gombe State Police Command Atajiri Fwaje (DSP) was switched off.

The state Police Commissioner Kudu Nma, who spoke to newsmen, said he was yet to hear of the incident. He however promised to brief the press as details of the attack reached him.

In another incident, six people were reportedly killed and scores of buildings razed when suspected gunmen on Tuesday attacked Shinfidda village in Jibiya Council Area in Katsina State.

An eyewitness, Ado Baba, said residents of the village scampered for safety when the attackers stormed the area at noon wielding dangerous weapons including sophisticated guns.

Baba said the attackers, whom he claimed were suspected cattle rustlers on a robbery mission, were believed to have emerged from Dunburum forest that traverses Jibiya in Katsina, Zurmi in
Zamfara and Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.

“They killed many people including innocent children and old people, and burnt houses. As I speak to you, I am in the bush where I ran for safety,” Baba said.

Another source told reporters that some youths of the village exchanged fire with the attackers, revealing that some of the attackers were killed but they ran away with their dead bodies.

It was further gathered that a detachment of security personnel comprising policemen, soldiers and men of the security and civil defence corps were drafted to the area to restore normalcy.

Spokesman of the Katsina Police Command, DSP Aminu Sadik Abubakar, declined comments when contacted.