Community leaders of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, have decried the spate of attacks on the area by Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), saying that the terrorists have attacked Chibok 72 times, killed 407 and kidnapped 332 of its citizens.
The community leaders expressed regret that the neglect of their area by federal and State governments is what has made them vulnerable to terrorists’ attacks.
Chibok came to national and international limelight when on April 14, 2014 Boko Haram terrorists invaded the Government Girls Secondary School in their community, abducting over 270 schoolgirls.
On Saturday in Abuja, the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), an association of people from Chibok LGA of Borno State, lamented that since the break out of terrorists’ attacks over a decade ago, apart from the over 407 persons killed and the over 332 persons that have been abducted in the Council area, over 20 churches have been burnt with an unquantifiable number of houses and businesses burnt, vehicles stolen and grain barns burnt or destroyed.
According to the group, led by the National President of KADA, Dauda Iliya, “we are on behalf of the entire Chibok Community, using this medium to once again call on President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue Chibok Community, an ethnic nationality, from total annihilation by the Boko Haram Terrorists. This is because since the mass abduction of our 276 daughters in April, 2014, wherein 57 escaped (on their own) we still have 110 of them still unaccounted for.
“The parents and the Community have continued to be subjected to persistent and sustained attacks, killings, abductions, maiming, arsons and other myriads of criminality without adequate government protection. Chibok has been for all intents and purposes abandoned to its own devices by all layers of government in Nigeria.
“Right from late 2012 up to this time, the statistics of the state of damage and destruction of lives and property inflicted on the Community presents a worrisome and pathetic picture.”
The group alleged that “from late 2018 to date, the frequency of attacks and level of destruction have escalated and are simply alarming. Just this year (2022) alone, Kautikari (second largest town in Chibok area) was attacked on January 14 with five girls abducted, three persons killed, many houses and churches burnt, etc.
“In sustaining their carnage, Piyemi, another big town in Chibok area, was attacked on January 20 with 19 persons (mostly girls) abducted and one person, the Vigilante leader, beheaded!”
They added that: “The town was practically razed down and virtually all the recently harvested agricultural produce completely burnt down and/or looted.
“Chibok is predominantly an agrarian community and the whole year’s harvests have been lost to these sustained and targeted attacks posing serious food security concerns in the community.
“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians and Mr. President in particular, to rise up to the occasion and urgently save our people from total annihilation and starvation.”
They asked government to synergize with security forces in confronting the menace so as to end the sustained carnage on the people of Chibok and facilitate the return of the remaining 110 daughters abducted in 2014 and numerous others subsequently abducted at different times; for the immediate setting up of IDP Camps in Chibok town and provide Chibok with skills acquisition centre so as to avoid imminent hunger/starvation.
They also requested the federal government to order deployment of more military personnel as well as better arms to Chibok to halt the continuous attacks on the community and plead with Borno State Governor to do more in organizing and helping the people of the area in securing the state in general and Chibok in particular from attacks.
They condoled with the Nigerian Army for the loss of gallant soldiers including the very brave Brigadier General B. K. Zirkushu who lost their lives in Askira protecting the people against the invading terrorists on November 13, 2021.