Civilian JTF ends training in Jos
No fewer than four persons were killed in a suicide bomb attack yesterday at Amarwa community of Konduga Local Government Area of Borno.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the incident occurred at about 2:00 pm when a male suicide bomber infiltrated the village and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strapped to his body.
An eye witness, Bukar Fantai, told NAN that the bomber managed to sneak into the village disguising as a grain merchant.
Fantai said that the insurgent first approached a shop keeper and offered sorghum for sale. He said the terrorist, thereafter, went to a shade where many villagers gathered for relaxation and detonated the explosive.
“The suicide bomber detonated the IED, blew up himself, killing three other persons, while 13 others sustained injuries in the explosion,” he said.
A security source who confirmed the attack, said that the wounded persons were referred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for treatment.
The source said that Police EOD and patrol teams had been deployed to sanitise the scene of the attack, adding that normalcy had been restored to the area.
Police and military authorities are yet to comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) Coordinatior of Civilian JTF/Vigilante, Mr. Matthew Alao has said that the UNDP spent over N469 million from 2014 to 2015 to empower the youths and women in the Northeast of Nigeria.
Alao disclosed this at the closing ceremony of Course SH: 1065 for Civilian JTF drawn from Borno and Yobe states.
He explained that the training became necessary especially when the military had almost seen the end of Boko Haram.
He stated that the training is meant to equip them to fend for themselves after the insurgency because Nigeria will be sitting on a time-bomb if they are left uncatered for after fighting the insurgents.
Alao said their training was very instructive so that they do not constitute a threat to the society at the end of the day.
The Unit Coordinator, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Mountain School, Shere Hills, Jos, Mallam Abdulmumuni Maimako, said that the capacity building for the civilian JTF training commenced on December 10, 2017 and ended on December 23.
According to Maimako, the civilian JTF is a child of necessity because when Boko Haram started wreaking havoc on Maiduguri metropolis, the youths volunteered and started identifying and helping the military in arresting them.
He said when the military realized the help they were getting from them, they drew them closer and grouped them into 10 sectors of operation, stressing that anywhere the military went for operation, they carried the civilian JTF along because they understand the terrain better and can identify the Boko Haram members and their hideouts.
