Militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram, has renamed Mubi as ‘Madinatul Islam,” meaning the city of Islam. The Islmaic sect had earlier hoisted its flag in some parts of the town, including the Palace of the Emir, which serves as its administration headquarters, amputating the hands and legs of alleged thieves on taking over the town.
A trapped resident, Aliyu Bala, who disclosed the renaming of Mubi on Tuesday, also said that the sect had set up check-points in strategic parts of the community.
“They are keeping vigil in every nook and cranny of the town and calling on residents who ran away to come back to their homes. They are also asking those in communities in the four Local Government Areas which they captured to return because their safety will be assured,” Bala added.
He said that despite the assurance that they would be better protected under an Islamic Caliphate, some residents of Mubi, who stayed back when the insurgents stormed the town, were sneaking out.
A lawyer, Sunday Wugira, who went to Maiha to pick up his aged parents who fled to the village when Mubi was captured, also confirmed that many trapped residents were secretly fleeing.
He said, ‘‘I was in Maiha a few hours ago, the plight of the people I saw was simply beyond imagination. We were in a commercial bus when some fleeing soldiers said we must adjust for them to get space in the bus.”
Salisu Baba, a resident of Uba, one of the captured communities, said the insurgents also warned politicians not to hold any election in the state.
“The insurgents don’t want any election. They have restated their vow to capture the whole state in no distant time,” he added.
Baba said the insurgents assured residents of free movement anytime of the day and the use of their motorcycles.
He said, “The insurgents have assured people of total freedom and have been telling shop owners to open their shops threatening that anyone who fails to open his shop will have the shop broken.
“Whenever the insurgents want any commodity, they pay for it. This encouraged meat and tea sellers and others to open for business.
“They provided security during the market day in Uba last Thursday while promising to continue to give marketers and residents who come to the area utmost security as long as they complied with Islamic rules.
“They also opened one of the filling stations belonging to A.A Garba in Uba as motorists’ trooped out to buy petrol.”
