Shuwa’s murder: Male residents flee Maiduguri

Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Shuwa (rtd)
| credits: osundefender.org

Male residents in Madiduguri on Saturday fled the city after 40 young men, mostly teenagers, were allegedly rounded up and shot by soldiers.

Residents said troops conducting raids on Thursday separated males in their teens and twenties from older men and shot them.

Maiduguri is known to be the stronghold of the Boko Haram sect.

A resident, Fatima Mustapha, told the AFP on Saturday that, “All male residents have left the neighbourhood. Those that remain are women, children and elderly men.”

Mustapha, who lives in Gwange area where a retired army general, Mohammed Shuwa, was shot dead on Friday, added that, “The neighbourhood has been under siege since yesterday (Friday) with soldiers taking over the entire area.”

She said the men had fled fearing a heavy military response to the murder of the general who was buried on Saturday.

Most Maiduguri residents were on Saturday, remained indoors.

Meanwhile, three people, including a fire service chief, were shot dead on Friday in the town of Damboa, South of Maiduguri.