Displaced persons from surrounding villages of Mafa local government area of Borno State have been relocated to Maiduguri metropolis pending the end of ongoing operation by the troops fighting insurgents.
Chairman of Mafa LGA, Alhaji Maina Lawan, who spoke to journalists yesterday in Maiduguri shortly after returning from Mafa town, said the decision to evacuate the people was taken in order to give space for the troops to fight and secure surrounding villages of the local government.
“With the cover by the Nigerian troops, we visited Mafa town, assessing the damages done by the Boko Haram insurgents. During the visit, we discovered that the government structures, residential houses and other buildings were touched but not as much as we thought earlier.
“We also evacuated about 1000 people who were trapped within the Mafa town while fleeing from their villages, and we now designated a camp for them in Maiduguri. Therefore, we commend Governor Kashim Shettima for his support,” Lawan said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Nganzai local government council in northern part of Borno state, Malam Gana Badu equally visited Gajiram town, the headquarters of the council.
Briefing journalist yesterday in Maiduguri, he expressed shock about the destruction of government structures and residential houses, appealing to the federal and state governments to quickly come to their aid.
“Though I was informed by the troops that only one civilian was killed during the battle to recapture the area, giving that all the residents have successfully fled the town already, but I was shocked to see that half of the Gajiram town has been destroyed,” Badu said.
Badu, who noted that the incident was destined to happen, assured his people that the council would compensate them whenever the federal and state governments intervened.
Comments