JOURNEY BACK TO GUDUMBALI- A THREAD
Few days ago, news broke of a deadly BokoHaram attack on the town of Gudumbali in Borno. Like many others, I was heartbroken. I'd been to Gudumbali during the residents homecoming few months earlier, and felt that ray of hope was fading...
Few days ago, news broke of a deadly BokoHaram attack on the town of Gudumbali in Borno. Like many others, I was heartbroken. I'd been to Gudumbali during the residents homecoming few months earlier, and felt that ray of hope was fading...
The news from Gudumbali was worrisome, conflicting. So when I got a chance to join in a trip to Gudumbali again, I embraced it eagerly. What did we see?
*The town isnt taken over by BH. We were welcomed by hundreds of excited residents.Most of them never left during the attack
*The town isnt taken over by BH. We were welcomed by hundreds of excited residents.Most of them never left during the attack
**None of the residents was killed. None at all. It was such a relief to hear that. There were attacks on troops location though. Casualty/Fatality? Minor to none. Details are complicated in this case!! But soldiers are well deployed in and around Gudumbali.
For an odd, emotional reason, one of my greatest joys was that the Gudumbali Cenotaph was not destroyed. As we approached the site from Damasak axis, I held my breath. It was a relief to see, apart from the growing grass, the Flags still fly high at the memorial ground.
The people of Gudumbali are asking for more government support. They've just started the farming season, and things are difficult for them. They want aid in the form of food, housing supplies, medicals, and schools.
We left Gudumbali at night, for the 3-hour drive to Monguno, through the worst road I've ever seen in Nigeria. Stopped in Kukawa to greet the villagers. I was scared, worried, and excited when clearing shots were fired, but we arrived safely. Thumbs up to our gallant escort team
The Gudumbali attack left many worried, and the reported casualty figures were chilling. It turns out, thanks to God, it wasn't entirely true. Many kudos also to the resilient people of Gudumbali, and the tireless troops who keep going back to fight for us all. #LafiyaDole
Thanks for reading my Gudumbali Road Trip. I'll be glad to answer any questions I can answer on this, and from any other experiences I've had in my journeys across the Northeast combat zone as a Defence Correspondent.
Note, the attack appears to follow the Al Barnawi style. Target fire more on troops locations, snatch food and other supplies from the residents. If they don't resist, they're left. Could the idea be to 'preserve' those who will be their members in their proposed 'caliphate'?
