» "Boko Haram Controls Half Of Borno", Says Senator Garbai «

PunchNG: The Senator representing Borno Central, Baba
Kaka Garbai has said that the story that the insurgents
have been degraded is nothing but a lie as the terror group
still hold on strong to about 50 percent of troubled Borno
State.
Garbai who spoke to journalists on Saturday evening
during a condolence visit to Dalori village where 65
persons were reported killed last week by the insurgents
said, the truth about the accomplishment of the military in
Borno State was never truly spoken as the Boko Haram
and the Nigerian nation are presently administering about
the same territories in the state.
He said both the military and Boko Haram have full control
of three separate local governments in troubled Borno
State and share control in all the 21 other local
governments.
Garbai, who was in Dalori with financial and material
assistance to the people of the village, said: “I feel highly
demoralized, devastated in the sense that this is the
village we came during the election and they were going
about their normal business. The activities that were
ongoing was like confidence building.
“They actually got the signal a few days before the attack
that the insurgents were likely to attack them,they
reported to the constituted authorities but nothing was
done.
I will like to appeal to the military to intensify their effort
in ensuring they beef up security around the villages and
communities that share borders with Maiduguri
metropolis. It is very important and more so that this
place is porous, there could be attack from any direction.”
He said it was a lie and misconception that the insurgents
have largely be overpowered by the military, insisting that:
“It is a wrong assumption that most of the local
governments in Borno are recapturedfrom the Boko Haram.
In reality this is not true in the sense that apart from
Maiduguri Metropolis, Bayo and Kwaya Kusar, these are the
three local government that are under the occupation of
the Nigerian government where the military and police are
maintaining law and order.
“Mobbar, Abadam and Kala Balge are 100 percent occupied
by the insurgents. There are some local governments that
are partially occupied by the insurgents especially as the
local government secretariats have been liberated but their
hither-lands are still controlled by the insurgents.”
Garbai gave an instance of Konduga which was liberated
but still has many communities in the local government
area under the insurgents.
He also said “though Gwoza town has been liberated there
still remain six wards in Gwoza local government area still
occupied by the insurgents.”
He said: “From my count, only three local government are
fully liberated, 21 local governments partially occupied by
insurgents, that is there is still some level of Boko Haram
occupation side by side the military or any other
constituted authority. The local government fully occupied
by Boko Haram are Abadam, Mobbar and Kala Balge.’He
advised that: “We should not live under the illusion that
Boko Haram are decimated or weaken, these are not
reality and neither a true reflection of the reality. The
reality is that most of the local government in Borno is
partially occupied by Boko Haram.”
On the proposed reconstruction, rehabilitation and
relocation in the troubled areas, Garbai said it was
inadvisable at least for now.
He said: “If the people are moved back to their homelands
you are making them vulnerable to attack. Unless you
provide maximum security and return of law and order in
these areas, relocating these people would be endangering
their lives.”
The Senate Leader, Mohammed Ndume, representing Borno
South in the Senate however believed that much had been
achieved by the military in retrieving captured Borno
communities from the insurgents.
He also said it was not out of place to begin the
reconstruction, rehabilitation and relocation of the
destroyed communities.
He told journalists in Maiduguri on Sunday that: “I still
have confidence in our military, I still want to believe that
our military are on top of the situation. What is happening
these days is the issue of intermittent suicide bombing
and desperate attacks by the insurgents because their
supply routes have been cut off and they attack in other to
get supplies. They have been carting away foodstuffs of
attacked communities.”
He said that the reconstruction and relocation should still
continue in spite of recent attacks. He however admitted
that if not immediately, at least the preparation should not
be set aside.
The Senate Leader while arguing that the insurgency is
winding out, said the recent setbacks are not limited to
Nigeria alone, insisting that United States and recently
France have come under isolated terrorist attacks.
He noted that the people of Borno displaced by insurgency
are willing to go back to their homelands. He particularly
mentioned that the people of Gwoza, his homelands are
ready to return home, insisting that arrangements have
already been concluded for this.