Borno: No longer home of hospitality

Posted by admin Borno, Headlines, State News Monday, September 15th, 2014

For a number of years now, the Boko Haram sect has been ravaging cities in the North Eastern part of the nation, especially Borno State. Several lives have been lost and properties destroyed. James Bwala, in this report, brings to limelight the sufferings of the former residents of Bama town who are now refugees.

Food, shelter, clothing,health, safety and education are the basic necessities of life. They also are determinants to living above poverty line. Lack of these basic needs is an indication of abject poverty. Before the wake of the Boko Haram crises in Bornostate, the people had all of these. Living relatively above the poverty line.

Borno State is called the “Home of Peace and Hospitality.” Ironically, this phrase has been contended with by the Islamic insurrection group and sadly, as at now, the home of peace and hospitality has been converted to a war zone in which death tolls by the second.

With the unfolding of these pathetic circumstances, the great Borno has plummeted drastically in all sectors. Consequently, basic amenities have become luxury as citizens are subjected to famine and have become destitute.

The recent attacks on Bama town in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, has left residents in an appalling state of jeopardy.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, sources report that the insurgents are rapidly expanding their territory. Locals also revealed that helicopters have been heard hovering over the town and have stated categorically that these are not government jets but vessels that have brought reinforcements for the insurgents.

‘Helicopters bring Boko Haram reinforcements’

A resident, who pleaded anonymity, had said, “some of the insurgents who were arrested in Bama town confessed to the security operatives that helicopters supplied them food and weapons but the government has continued to deny this, so, we cannot ascertain the veracity of the information.”

Residents who had fled Bama town in a bid to save their lives spoke with the Nigerian Tribune.

I would rather be aliving refugee — Kolomi

For Malam Kolomi Aisami, exile is better than home as long as there is life. He said: “We cannot immediately go back to Bama because we heard that the soldiers are trying to clean up Bama. Corpses litter everywhere in Bama as we speak. It is a terrible scene and children should not be exposed to such traumatic scenery.”

He went further to narrate his ordeal. “We started hearing the sound of gunshots at about 5:00 am while we were in the mosque and before we knew it, members of the BokoHaram sect had taken over the town, shooting repeatedly. At the sound of increased gun shots, we left our prayers and took to our heels. That was how we found ourselves out here on the street without food or shelter but at least, we escaped alive.” He further added: “Government brought new school buses to convey us back home, some of us agreed to go but most of us who saw the slaughtering of our brothers like rams and the razing of our homes have not found the courage to face the ruins that were left behind. Hence, we have decided to stay on the streets like refugees but with our lives intact.” Kolomi concluded.

‘They shoot anyone on sight, even women and children’

Another resident, Alhaji Bulama, who also narrowly escaped death in Bama told the Nigerian Tribune that“the Boko Haram sect members announced their coming by shooting at anyone on their path. It was a horrendous sight. They shot at whoever came their way, both women and children. The security operatives are their worst enemies. They don’t spare them at all. So it becomes an open shootout between the Boko Haram and the security people. Several civilians have been killed in the midst of this.” He added: “My heart goes out to the security operatives. After all, they are people’s fathers, husbands, sons and to watch them being slaughtered like rams is heart wrenching. Anyone who truly has a heart will weep profusely.”

Alhaji Bulama beseeched the government to help in further alleviating their plight. “I am calling on the government to give us the needed assistance directly so we can go back, rebuild our houses and see if we can pick up our lives from there. A committee would not be too effective because there might arise the problem of embezzlement. We are entreating the government to provide the people of Bama with all the assistance needed because Bama is the second largest local government in the state. A lot of damage has been done and this will require reconstruction, among others.”

I have lost all hope —Yakubu

Yakubu Idi, another resident of Bama who had also fled the town said, “I am 26 years old and at this age, I am hopeless. How can we keep living in perpetual fear? When you are outside and you hear these stories you will find it hard to believe but these things are happening right in our presence. We are the victims and we have lost hope. It begins to look like our leaders have resigned to fate. I fled Bama for Maiduguri because of this crisis.”

He further stated: “Wallahi, I have lost hope of living; I am just waiting for when Boko Haram will take over the entire country because, from all indication, the government is not ready to fight this war. There are insurgents at Gwoza, Buni Yadi, Madagali, Dikwa, Ngamboru Ngala, Marte and all across our borders with Chad, Niger and Cameroon. I live in Bama and I see them everyday in the villages along the border lines.”

Today, there are more than a million people displaced by the insurgency across the North East and over sixty percent of those displaced are people from Borno State according to reports.

In Borno state, the numbers of beggars on the streets have increased owing to the influx of people who are coming into the city from the villages, while those living in the city are vacating their homes for other cities across the country.

wp_posts