Curfew in Borno village as ISWAP terrorists kill DPO

Residents of New Marte are now under curfew after a Superintendent of Police was killed by suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the Marte LGA, Borno State, on Monday night.

It was gathered that the ISWAP fighters sneaked into New Marte and ambushed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and his team, resulting in the officer’s death.

A security source revealed that the attackers initially targeted one Dr Adamu Fatai in New Marte.

“Upon noticing suspicious movement, Dr Fatai ran to the police station to alert the DPO. The police mobilised to counter the threat, but the ISWAP fighters shot the DPO and injured others around 2am while residents were asleep.

“They trekked into the town without any vehicles or motorcycles,” the source said.

The injured policemen were taken to Maiduguri General Hospital along with the body of the DPO, SP Pius Sunday Swanta.

ISWAP terrorists had also attacked New Marte a week earlier, killing the head of the civilian Joint Task Force in the area.

Following the DPO’s death, residents said troops ordered them to remain indoors, accusing them of collaborating with ISWAP.

“The soldiers accused us of being collaborators with ISWAP. They imposed a curfew and warned that anyone who ventured outside would be killed. They intend to conduct house-to-house searches,” a resident, who does not want to be named, said.

The residents expressed their distress, saying that the DPO had defended them for the past two years and appealed to Governor Babagana Zulum for help.

The Borno Police command spokesman, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, confirmed the incident and stated that the authorities are working to determine the circumstances of the attack.