Form Vigilante Groups Now
The border communities of Jubrilla, Kughum and Barawa in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State have been directed to form their own youth volunteer vigilante groups consisting of 100 members each to patrol their villages and protect them from Boko Haram invasion.
Alhaji Zanna Umar Mustapha Deputu Governor of Borno gave the directive when he visited the localities on tuesday following reports that the villagers had fled into Cameroun for in fear of the Boko Haram and Military attacks.
Addressing the people of three villages who had assembled at the border on the siee of the Cameroun Republic where they had gone to seek refuge, the Deputy Governor said, "I have heard your complsins as to why you left your villages and crossed over to the Cameroun. I want to assure you that if you agree to work together to defend your villages from the Boko Haram and also agree to handover all Boko Haram among you to the security, the soldiers will no longer come to look for them in your villages".
"You will have to ensure that there are no more killings. Iam therefore directing you to form youth volunteer groups consisting of 100 to take the responsibility of patrolling your villages. These volunteers must be made up equally of muslims and the Christians among you to forestall any abuse", he said.
Earlier the villagers from all sides had been accusing rach other of inviting the military by giving them a fake list of alleged Boko haram members who were taken away and shot.
When Reuters asked Peter Zadva a Christian why he fled his village , he said, "the Boko Haram were hunting for all Christians in the area to kill us, so I fled". On his part, Usman Warabe a muslim said,"the soldiers were killing the Muslims alleging that we are Boko Haram so I fled".
At the end of the visit the refugees had agreed to form the vigilante groups as directed by the Deputy Governor.
NB:
(I have just arrived Maiduguri in company of the Deputy Governor. I was able to send the story on Ashigashiya and Ngoshe using the Cameroun network yesterday).