Some residents have called on security agencies and the federal government to take proactive measures in curbing the rising improvised explosive devices (IEDs) attack on various highways in Borno State.
The call is coming at a time about eight members of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were killed after their vehicle rammed into an IED planted by terrorists along Dikwa- Marte road in the early hours of Tuesday, with such attacks recently recorded in Damboa, Kala-Balge and Ngala local government areas of Borno State.
A resident of Maiduguri, Kareen Haroun has called on the Nigerian military to intensify 24hours surveillance on these highways that are being mined with IEDs.
He said the terrorists are planting the IEDs because there is no thorough surveillance on the highways, hence he called for constant patrol on the roads at night, noting that if such measure is not taken the terrorists will continue to plant the IEDs to undermine the successes recorded in the fight, and pose a risk to the lives of innocent citizens.
” A lot of people have died as of result of IEDs on the highways,” he lamented adding that they were returning back to 2014 when similar attacks were carried out by terrorists.
” The government should wake up and deploy mine detecting machines that are automated which can use satellite images to detect the IEDs.
Government and military have to invest in areas of technology and artificial intelligence to curb the menace of IEDs attacks,” he noted.
In the same sentiment, another resident of Maiduguri, Ismail Alpha, said the IEDs attack is worrisome after the successes recorded by the military against the terrorists.
He said the IEDs are now targeted at the civilian population. “If you look at the recent landmine attack in Damboa, it was purely civilians. If you look at some of the IEDs attacks in Kala-Balge, Nganzai and the others, they are all civilian casualties,” he lamented, saying most cannot identify an IED and innocently step on them. He asked for the government to checkmate these attacks.
Another resident, Elder Ibrahim Msheliza said that people no longer feel safe traveling. He called on sensitisation of citizens on identification of IEDs to prevent the road users from falling victim.
Meanwhile Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum has promised to provide scholarship to the children of the eight CJTF members who lost their lives in the IED explosion along Dikwa- Marte road with donation of N5million to each of their families.
