BOKO HARAM Sectarians Turn To Cannibalism In Borno, Survivor Reveals

A suspected Boko Haram militant, who has fled the sectarian camp in Magumeri forest and was captured by the civilian JTF at Baga Road motor park, Maiduguri, revealed a horrifying truth. Suspected Boko Haram militants in the camp have turned into cannibal because of severe food shortage that lasted for days. Magumeri forest is about 150 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Mallam Momodu Bukar, the suspect, told newsmen on Saturday in Maiduguri, that he fled the forest camp on Thursday after it became obvious that he was going to be eaten. "I thank God that I escaped because I would have been slaughtered by now to provide meal for my colleagues at the camp," Bukar said.

Bukar has been apprehended by a youth vigilante group active in Maiduguri and known as 'the Civilian JTF,' on Friday.

According to him, the Boko Haram sect members have been in the forest since May, after being knocked out from Marte, Marte Local Government Area, by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the course of 'Operation Restore Order,' which has been declared in the framework of the State of Emergency.

"Our group, consisting of about 300 well armed combatants, headed for Magumeri on the orders of the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau, shortly before the military took over Marte Camp.

"We have been wandering in the forest. We have exhausted our food and water supply, and so, everybody became hungry," Bukar narrated.

The group lost contact with Shekau due to the closure of GSM services by the Defence Headquarters.
"It all started last Monday when three of the combatants in camp died of acute hunger, and it became obvious that all of us will die if action was not taken.

"The leader of the group, Abu Omar, directed that a non-combatant member be slaughtered to provide meal for the rest.

"The meat provided meal for the combatant for just two days and another person was killed in the same manner on Wednesday.

"So, it became certain that I might be the next person, since I am also a non-combatant member."
"I left the camp on Thursday evening after agreeing to fetch water from the village.
"After leaving the camp, I started running until I arrived at Magumeri town, so, I slept in the motor park before boarding a vehicle to Maiduguri with the little money on me."
Bukar says he was caught immediately after his arrival at the motor park in Maiduguri by the youth vigilante group.

An official of the vigilante group, Mallam Ajid Asheik, said the suspect would be handed to the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO) for investigation.