One killed as insurgents attack Chibok again, burn school block

Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents attacked the Kautikari community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday evening.

One person was killed, and a school block was set ablaze when suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents attacked Kautikari community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday evening.

Kautikari is located about 20 kilometres from Chibok town, the headquarters of the local government area.

The police confirmed the incident through its state command spokesperson, Nahum Daso, who told Channels Television that security operatives repelled the attackers after the assault.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that there was an attempted attack on the Kautikari community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State by suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday evening,” Mr Daso was quoted by Channels Television as saying.

According to the police spokesperson, information from the divisional police officer in Chibok indicated that the attackers killed a 50-year-old resident and set ablaze school buildings before security operatives repelled them.

According to reports, the Education Secretary of Chibok Local Government Area, Malah Kyari, confirmed that the affected structure was a junior secondary school block.

Mr Kyari said the insurgents killed one person and set ablaze a block containing five classrooms and an office at Kautikari Junior Secondary School.

The attackers reportedly entered the community on motorcycles.

The attack is the latest in Borno State, and raises concerns among residents as the farming season begins.

It also comes amid lingering concerns about school safety in the state.

On 15 May, suspected Boko Haram insurgents abducted an unspecified number of pupils and students from Mussa-Biri Primary School and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area.

The abduction triggered a protest by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Borno State, which called on federal and state authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted learners and teachers.

During the protest in Maiduguri, the union’s National Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Ibn-Tom, urged the government to provide a safe and conducive environment for teaching and learning across the state.

Responding on behalf of Governor Babagana Zulum, the Chief of Staff, Mustapha Malumbe, assured the protesters of the state government’s commitment to strengthening security in schools and communities.

Attacks on schools and educational facilities have remained a recurring feature of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’s North-east despite sustained military operations against insurgent groups in the region.