By Uzair Adam Imam
Witnesses recounted an incident in Maiduguri as repentant Boko Haram insurgents made an attempt to storm a police station, aiming to free their arrested comrades allegedly involved in drug offenses.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday night, unfolded with the assailants clad in military attire and brandishing cutlasses.
Confirming the incident, Borno State’s Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Daso, reported that officers on duty successfully repelled the attackers.
Daso explained that the breach stemmed from a joint police operation targeting illicit activities at Kasuwar Fara, where eight individuals, including alleged drug peddlers and repentant insurgents, were apprehended with illicit substances.
Following the arrests, the attackers, purportedly repentant Boko Haram members, struck the police station at Ibrahim Taiwo, but were promptly thwarted.
Subsequently, they targeted Nigeria Immigration Service and NDLEA checkpoints, setting ablaze some structures.
An ongoing investigation seeks to identify the perpetrators behind these acts.
Eyewitnesses recounted a scene of chaos as the attackers forcibly entered the police station, freeing some detainees and injuring officers on duty.
Despite efforts by police operatives, reinforcements were necessary to regain control.
The incident has left residents apprehensive about Maiduguri’s safety, with some drawing parallels to past attacks.
Fanta Modu, a local resident, urged a reevaluation of the government’s approach to reintegrating repentant insurgents, questioning their true intentions.
Governor Babagana Zulum’s spokesperson, Abdulrahman Bundi, stated that official comment would follow once the government receives comprehensive information on the matter.