Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has mobilised civilians JTF fighters and troops to Kirawa, a town in Gwoza Local Government Area (LGA) following the withdrawal of Cameroonian soldiers stationed in the town.
Boko Haram terrorists had invaded the town after the soldiers’ exit, killing residents and setting houses ablaze.
During an assessment visit on Friday, Zulum regretted the incessant terrorist attacks on the town.
‘Yes, Cameroonian troops have withdrawn but that doesn’t mean that the Nigerian Army should leave the area vacant’, he said.
‘We resettled this town about 7 years ago, with the support of Cameroonian soldiers. Unfortunately, they (returnees) were displaced by the insurgents.
‘I duly notified the Nigerian military of the dangers of leaving this town without security. This is a border community. Wilgo, Kirawa, Baga, Damasak, Malamfatori, among others are border communities that have to be protected because of their strategic importance.
‘Unfortunately, my request did receive the deserved attention, and the insurgents came on Wednesday and vandalised everything we worked so hard to rebuild.
‘Two lives were lost but 50 houses and our heavy duty equipment, and eight vehicles were burnt down. We thanked God the casualties were not much’.
Zulum said he had a meeting with the Theatre Commander of the Nigerian Army, and the Commander of the Multinational Task Force on the security measures to be put in place in the area.
‘All of us have agreed that within the shortest possible time, the Nigerian army will deploy soldiers to Kirawa town.
‘The second measure we have undertaken is in the area of providing support to our gallant civilian JTF and vigilante. I listened to them and we will provide them with the needed equipment to safeguard the town.
‘Most importantly, we are looking into the possibility of getting some modern technological equipment that would address insecurity challenges in the general area’, he said.
To the people, he said: ‘You need not to panic. I see no reason why very few members of Boko Haram will come to defeat the entire community without resistance.
‘I’m also pleading with the Nigerian military to be more committed, because what matters is not the number of soldiers we need to keep here but how committed they are to fight back the terrorists during military operations.
‘Above all, we need Military operations, for sometimes, military operations were not conducted in Borno State, and that has been instrumental to what we have been witnessing now. The renewed insurgence attacks.
‘We are pleading with the federal government, and the Chief of Defence Staff to release funds and procure equipment so that the military operations should begin in annex since the rainy season is about to be over.
‘But you have to take note of this very important thing, which is continuing military operations, we need not to just embark on operations after a few months we slow down or withdraw’, he said.
Zulum, who stressed the need for the military to sustain operations throughout, said the UN resolution clearly states that military operations have to be followed by stabilization, recovery, reconstruction and resettlement.
‘That means, whenever we capture a certain place, we have to put in place mechanisms for all these things, otherwise, all the gains may be futile’.
‘But my only plea to the federal government as well as the Nigerian Army military is, let us do everything possible to ensure that we sustain the peace that we have achieved 7 or 8 years ago.
‘Kirawa was never displaced 7 years ago, when the security situation was so bad, and now that the security is better than before, I see no reason why Kirawa would be displaced.
‘Because, once Kirawa is being displaced, other adjoining communities like Pulka and Ngoshe would be displaced, and gradually it will reach Gwoza local government headquarters and the road be cut off.
‘Yes, I’m aware that the Nigerian Army has lean numerical strength, I’m very much aware. But we have certain strategic towns and villages that have to be kept on ground’, he added.
He expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff for his immediate response and the measures taken to forestall future occurrence, after the town was attacked.
