Residents of Borno on Friday appealed to the state government to enlist the services of local hunters and vigilantes in liberating towns captured by the Boko Haram insurgents.
A cross section of those interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Maiduguri said the state must emulate neigbouring Adamawa by allowing hunters and members of the vigilance groups in the state to assist in tackling the problem.
Jubrin Gunda, a legal practitioner in Maiduguri, said the Borno government must take a bold step toward ending the occupation of its towns by insurgents.
Mr. Gunda, who is the Secretary, Borno Vigilante Group called Civilian JTF said “it is time for us to act toward recapturing the towns seized by the insurgents.’’
He said he had monitored developments that led to recapturing of the towns by the hunters in Adamawa.
“I have been in constant touch with the Adamawa group because some of our vigilantes are part of the team.
“I monitor the operations from the beginning and I am very proud of them,” Mr. Gunda, also a former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Biu branch, said.
He said he was optimistic that the group would recapture Gwoza, Bama and other Borno towns seized by the insurgents once given the opportunity.
Ali Mamman, another resident, supported Gunda’s claim, saying that the hunters had previously offered to go after the insurgents in Borno.
He said “some few months ago, hunters assembled at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri and sought for permission to go after the insurgents in Sambisa but the authorities declined the request.’’
Mr. Mamman said the hunters would have overrun the insurgents long ago.
Mr. Samuel Jigo, a civil servant, said the hunters were the only group that could tackle the problem because they use magical powers.
“The insurgents are also using black magic power, that is why they capture people easily. Since the hunters too have their own black power, it is easy for them to defeat them,” he said.