Plz, carefully read through this Revealing and Heart-touching Piece from Daily trust : Wednesday, 12th June, 2013 will remain indelible in the hearts of the locals in the once Boko Haram ‘colonized’ Kirenowa and other communities in Marte local government area of Borno State as it marked the day when Governor Kashim Shettima paid a sympathy visit to them. He showered them with food items and other gifts and assured them that his government will always stand up for them.
After the long period of reign of terror, the day heralded the return of immunization activities, services at hospitals, school participation, farming activities in the Chad Basin and social life for the people that were once brought under the control of members of the Boko Haram.
It was the day that the elated Governor Shettima mobilized most of his commissioners, special advisers, caretaker chairmen and members of his kitchen cabinet and travelled to Marte, a once no go area on the shores of the Lake Chad, close to the Nigeria’s border with Chad and Cameroon where members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad had hitherto established what could aptly be described as a new country within the Nigerian territory.
The governor’s visit equally unveiled a moment of joy for hundreds of operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) who were given assorted food items, including rice, beans, sugar, cows and money.
The governor had extended similar gesture to the people of the ravaged communities, who had long abandoned their farmlands, with many of them relocating to neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon in search of succor.
This is the first time that civilian authorities visited the troubled communities in Marte after Nigerian troops reportedly fought the insurgents in various camps spread in the localities and reclaimed the areas, a development which cleared the coast for the return of normalcy.
Prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, Marte was the inglorious hotbed of the insurgents who had succeeded in dislodging all Nigeria’s symbol of authority and entrenched theirs.
The locals in their hundreds, including men and women, farmers, fishermen, traders and children received the governor’s entourage with thunderous applause.
Earlier at a military base in New Marte, Governor Shettima told the soldiers that they had done Nigeria proud by chasing away ambitious insurgents who had hitherto hoisted their flags to mark their occupation of the area.
“We really appreciate your indulgence and patriotism. You have done us proud and we would live to remember you for salvaging our land. We acknowledge the fact that you left your families in far flung places in order to reclaim our communities. We thank you for this,” the governor said.
And in Kirenowa, the villagers said they are now breathing fresh air of hope and fulfillment.
“Our village is now bubbling with activities,” said Fanni Ahmadu, a 15 year old lady who said she can’t remember the last day she went to school in the village.
“Some youth, members of the Ahlis Sunnah had proscribed going to school and we had to obey their order,” Fanni added as she looked at about five of her peers who nodded their heads to reaffirm what she said.
The good thing is that our school is still standing, it hasn’t been burnt by the insurgents,” she said.
“While the visiting people (Boko Haram) held sway, we were banned from playing at the village square at night…as soon as it was 5pm, all ladies must retreat back to their houses till the next morning. We really missed dancing in the moonlight,” said Hanna Hassan, another young lady who is about 14 years old.
A’isha Abubakar said the only ‘good thing’ about the insurgents was that they did not ban going to Islamic school. “We always go to Islamiyya in the morning and towards the evening and nobody stopped us,” she said.
“The people that besieged this area said we have to do everything in line with the Sharia. No mingling with boys and no going to formal school,” she said.
On the allegation of forceful marriage, all the ladies were reluctant to comment on the issue but one of them who summoned courage but declined to give her name said some of their friends had gone with the extricated insurgents.
“Fatima was one of the girls that got married to one of the visiting youth and marriage was solemnized in front of their house after the payment of N2,000 as dowry,” she said.
Goni Tijjani, a 13 year old boy who looked excited said they can now play football after closing from Islamiyya. “We were told that our primary school will soon be reopened and the fleeing teachers would return,” he said.
Most of the children interviewed said the 16th May, 2013 intervention by federal troops changed the mood in Kirenowa and the adjoining villages.
Falmata Bukar said she is happy with the turn of events in her village. “As you can see, we are here in front of the house of the village head in order to welcome our governor. Two months ago, even the governor could not dare come here,” she said.
Secretary to the Borno State government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda who was born in Kirenowa concurred with what the young girls and boys said. “I could not take the risk of coming here two months ago,” he said.
He also spoke in Shuwa Arab, the native language in the area and told the locals to appreciate the value and essence of constituted authorities.
“Without the intervention of the federal government through the military, we wouldn’t have gathered here. On behalf of my people, I wish to express my gratitude to all the people and establishments that took part in the restoration of law and order here,” he said.
Elders in Kirenowa also advised the federal government to establish a permanent military barracks in the area in order to save the lives of the people from further aggression as well as protect the porous borders of the country against incessant attacks.
“The soldiers came when so much damage was inflicted here but we thank Allah that they finally rescued us,” resident Bulama Sheikh said.
“Our fear is that the Boko Haram terrorists might regroup and emerge stronger, hence the need for permanent precautionary measure,” he added.
An opinion leader in the area said they saw hell during the Boko Haram occupation, pointing out that young girls were forced into marriage while many others were raped. Speaking on the negative effects of the insurgency, Dr. Salma Anas Kolo, the Commissioner of Health in Borno State who had shortly before the trip to Marte addressed a press conference in Maiduguri said exposure to violence has increased cases of hypertension, cardiac arrest, rape, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and other health challenges in various communities across the state.
“Hospitals are now recording high rates of psychological trauma in patients owing to the insecurity in the state. Many people are now hypertensive, having heart diseases, mental and physical disorders.
This is not only with adults but also with children. There are also cases of unwanted pregnancies due to forceful marriages and of course, such situation is followed by sexually transmitted diseases,” the commissioner said.
The violence in the communities had also taken its toll on agriculture with emerging fears that rice may not be cultivated in the vast shores of the Lake Chad in this farming season.
Managing Director of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) Engineer Garba Iliya, who took Governor Shettima round the farming area lamented that out of the 5,000 hectares of land where wheat was planted last cropping season, only 1,500 hectares was harvested.
“The insurgency had forced most of the farmers to abandon their farms. In the process, animals and other wanderers trampled on the farms and caused serious damage,” he said.
For now, Old and New Marte, Kirenowa and countless hamlets in northern Borno are looking sick because the Boko Haram insurgents had burnt the local government secretariat, police station and other features indicating that government exists.
Before the governor left Kirenowa, Governor Shettima had directed that all the new and renovated hospitals in Mafa, Dikwa and Marte that narrowly escaped the hammers of the insurgents be put to use in the next ten days and directed the commissioner of health to ensure full deployment of doctors, nurses and drugs. http://sundaytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/13398-how-we-were-traumatised-by-boko-haram-borno-residents |
