A High Court Judge, Justice Haruna Mshelia, along with his wife, driver, and orderly, were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists along the Biu to Maiduguri road.
Justice Mshelia, who serves at the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri, was traveling with his wife, driver, and security escort when the incident occurred. According to sources, as their vehicle approached a curve between Buratai and Buni-gari, a group of armed men emerged from the bush and barricaded the road.
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The judge’s vehicle attempted to evade the blockade but was intercepted by another group of insurgents. The armed men then took Justice Mshelia and his companions hostage and transported them into the Sambisa Forest.
The road between Damaturu, Buni Yadi, Buratai, and Biu, a 120-kilometer stretch, has long been notorious for its dangerous conditions. The deteriorating state of this route, which links several local government areas in Southern Borno (including Biu, Hawul, Bayo, Shani, and Kwaya Kusar) to the state capital, Maiduguri, has been a persistent issue due to the continued closure of the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu road.
Residents and motorists have faced significant risks on this route, highlighting the urgent need for improved security and infrastructure in the region.
2 Boko Haram bomb experts surrender in Borno
Earlier, Daily News 24 reported that two Boko Haram Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) experts, Abubakar Mohammed and Bana Modu, have surrendered to the troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force ( MNJTF) in Borno.
Lt. Col. Abubakar Abdullahi, the Chief Military Public Information Officer – Ndjamena, said this in a statement in Maiduguri.
He said the suspects, who were under the age of 30, surrendered during a clearance operation by the troops on Sunday, April 21.
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Abdullahi said that two IEDs, two mobile phones and N53,000 cash were recovered from them.
He said that on interrogation, the suspects said that they were ordered by their Boko Haram commanders to plant IEDs on the roads leading to Doron Baga and a fish farm in Baga, both in Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.
“Instead of carrying out their mission, they decided to abandon their task, escape with the IEDs and surrender to the MNJTF.
“Their decision was influenced by the MNJTF recently concluded Operation NASHRUL SALAM, a non-kinetic operation, and the sector’s personal engagement strategy with relevant sources, showcasing the effectiveness of psychological operations in the fight against terrorism,”he said.
Abdullahi said that the MNJTF was committed to encouraging other terrorists in the Lake Chad to come out, surrender and lay down their arms.
The official pledged that troops would leave no stone unturned to rid the region of terrorists and ensure sustainable peace.
