by ‘Jola Sotubo
File Photo
Reports have it that an unspecified number of candidates intending to write today’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam in Borno have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents.
The students were said to have been heading to their centers to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination when they were attacked.
[READ: ‘You will all be protected’ – JAMB assures candidates of safety in Borno]
The JAMB hopefuls were said to be among a large number of casualties which resulted from Boko Haram attacks on four communities in the state.
Meanwhile Senator Zannah Ahmed, representing the Borno Central constituency, has accused the military of complicity in the attacks on Dikwa, Kala Balge, Gambulga and Gwoza.
Nigerian Eye reports:
The senator claimed that the attackers were all dressed in military uniforms and spoke English language. This was a departure from the Hausa and Kanuri language spoken by the Boko Haram insurgents.
He even lamented that authorities of the military post in Gamboru, which purportedly received a distressed call from the people of Kala Balge avoided the town, claiming that it was not in its area of command.
The senator who said he was compelled to speak out because his people were being killed on a daily basis, added “what happened in Borno was beyond understanding.”
He said: “It is a must for me to speak since the people lives are involved and they are my people. All these are happening in my constituency and it will be wrong to keep quiet. I feel so much pained and would not have spoken but definitely my conscience will not let me do that.”
He alleged that 210 people were slaughtered by marauders, who dressed in military uniforms and attacked the towns in two armored personnel cars and seven double cabin pickups.
According to him, they attacked a Teachers College in Dikwa and killed seven people, burnt down the school library and administrative block.
He said Kala Balge was the most devastated as 60 people were killed by the armed men who went on the rampage. He said after they left Kala Balge they attacked three other towns in the area where a total of 150 persons were killed.
Our correspondent made repeated efforts to call the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, without success as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.
Our correspondent also sent a text message to the Defence Spokesman which had not been replied as of the time of filing the story.
A security source, however, said that the insurgents laid ambush for a group of students who were on their way to Biu from Maiduguri to write Senior the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination scheduled for Saturday April, 2014.
It was learnt that the JAMB candidates were riding in eight vehicles were they ran into the insurgents ambush. It was, however, not clear whether the insurgents got the all occupants of the eight vehicles or not.
Y all this? Can't this so called "leaders" stop all diz? Don't they understand histories are being written on them?
These violence in the three states-Borno, Adamawa and yobe is deliberate to justify no election in these three states and if care is not taken the violence will continue until elections are over. The governors of these states must cry out loud and clear, because i can understand how english speaking 'boko haram' have suddenly emerged!!!