by James Sambo

On Saturday, January 3, insurgents of Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram, besieged Baga for three days, killing thousands of people and razing the entire town.

According to security analysts and Amnesty International, the attack may be the worst in the six years of insurgency in the North east.

Yemaye Grema, a survivor of the attack, spoke to AFP in Maiduguri about the massacre in the town in Borno state.

The 38-year-old fisherman hid for three days between a wall and his neighbours’ house, while the rampaging militants terrorised his hometown.

Fortunately for him, his family was in Kukawa, 40 kilometres (25 miles) away, paying their respects after Boko Haram killed his wife’s cousin about two months ago.

He recounted: “People fled into the bush while some shut themselves indoors,” he said of last Saturday’s attack. The gunmen pursued fleeing residents into the bush, shooting them dead.

“For five kilometres (three miles), I kept stepping on dead bodies until I reached Malam Karanti village, which was also deserted and burnt,” he said.

“All I could hear were ceaseless gunshots, explosions, screams from people and chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest) from the Boko Haram gunmen. I remained in my hiding place until Tuesday evening.”

“Every night when it was dark, I would furtively scale the fence into my house to quickly eat garri (processed cassava granules) and drink water and go back to my hideout.”

“Some of the Boko Haram gunmen camped outside the Baga main market just 700 metres from my hideout. At night I could see lights from the power generator they ran. I could also hear their cheering and laughter.”

“Luckily on Monday some of the gunmen withdrew while others stayed in the town. This reduced their number, which made it difficult for them to patrol the whole town. It worked to my advantage.”

“On Tuesday they began looting the market and every home in the town… Around 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) they set fire to the market and began burning homes. I decided it was time I leave before they turn in my direction.”

“Around 7:30 pm I ventured out of my hiding and started to walk away from the noise coming from the gunmen. It was dark, so no-one could see me.”

While in the bush, Grema came across an old Fulani man, who advised him to move west to avoid running into the militants.

“His warning frightened me but made me more determined to get away. I thanked him and moved on. I quickened my pace. I soon caught up with… four women. One of them was carrying a baby on her back.”

“They told me they were among hundreds of women that were arrested by Boko Haram and detained in the home of the district head which Boko Haram had converted into a women’s detention centre. Three of the women had been separated from their children.”

Grema said he forged ahead on his own because the women were “too slow”. He ran and walked throughout the night, before arriving at Kekeno village near Monguno, 65km away, the following morning.

On Thursday, he took a bus from Monguno to Maiduguri. “I will never forget this experience and I will forever be grateful to the old Fulani nomad for his life-saving advice,” he added.