Churches Burnt, Christians Killed In Borno Attack

No fewer than four Christians were killed in Pelachiroma community of Hawul, Borno state on Tuesday, October 21 by suspected insurgents.

Two churches and over 50 houses were also razed down in the attack, Vanguard reports.
According to some of the fleeing residents of Pelachiroma, the insurgents stormed the village at about 9pm on motorcycles, well armed with ak47 rifles and petrol bombs.

They were said to have started shooting sporadically at anyone in sight while the people ran in all directions for safety.



Speaking in a telephone call, Mr. John Markus, a resident of Pelachiroma said: “They came with motorcycles and well armed with ak47 rifles and petrol bombs targeting christian faithful and our places of worship.

“As I am talking to you now we have all deserted our community as the insurgents who were chanting Allahu Akbar (God is great) vowed to eliminate Christians in Haul Local government area.

“We are really disturbed because, Hawul which is predominantly a Christian community has been under series of Boko haram attacks without confrontation or deployment of military operatives.”
Confirming the incident, the Caretaker Chairman of Hawul Council area, Dr. Andrew Usman Malgwi said the military authorities have failed to deploy its personnel to Hawul despite all pleas and his people are under series of attacks by insurgents.

He said: “Yes some of my communities are currently under Boko Haram attacks, the insurgents laid raid ambush along Dzur highway and killed several people before destroying many vehicles last week. This time around they wrecked havoc in Pelachiroma where they killed three persons with destruction of churches, houses and business centres, but as government we are making frantic effort to see to it that security operatives particularly the Military are deployed to safeguard lives and property.”


Pelachiroma is few kilometres away from Dzur which is a mountainous community harbouring terrorists camps along the Biu- Garkida- Gombi- Yola road where the late emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, and other innocent people were ambushed and killed by suspected Boko Haram sect early this year.

Hawul is a predominantly Christian community, south and about 210 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital that has been under series of Boko Haram attacks in the last couple of months.


Despite the said ceasefire agreement between Boko Haram insurgents and the Federal Government, there is still tension the north eastern region as there have been several violations.
Nigerian troops were reportedly ambushed by the insurgents on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, on their way to Damboa in Borno state and one killed.