Shettima Urges Fleeing Residents Of Attacked Village To Return Home

Kashim Shettima

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has urged fleeing residents of attacked Zabarmari and Hadamari villages to return, as troops will provide protection against any Boko Haram attacks or bombings on the affected farming and herding communities in the state.

The governor, while addressing surviving residents of Zabarmari, urged the fleeing villagers trooping to Maiduguri to return to their respective houses.

“Since the military have repelled the insurgents from destroying this village, the people should not run and flee to Maiduguri for safety, but return to your homes which were burnt apart from the torched shops and local market,” Shettima said.

He also assured them that the state government will rebuild the destroyed shops and market, so that the people could continue with their normal daily activities.

“Meanwhile, I am going with two village heads now along with your councillor to Maiduguri to collect food items and other basic needs of life for distribution. A patrol vehicle will be released to CJTF for this village’s patrol and surveillances,” Shettima promised.

Councilor of the affected area, Alhaji Mohammed Bello while briefing the governor on recent attacks, said  the soldiers have tried their best in repelling the insurgents. However, the soldiers should be re-equipped with modern fighting weapons, because the insurgents’ three-hour attacks could have been nipped in the bud to save people’s lives and property.

A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Ahmadu Bello, told Vanguard that after the soldiers repelled the insurgents, they fled to a nearby village known as Koshobe, seven kilometres east of Zabarmari village.

“As I’m talking to you now; the insurgents are hiding in Koshobe village, not very far away from this village attacked recently when seven people were killed, with the injuring of nine others taken to Maiduguri hospital for treatments,” said Bello.