Konduga (Borno) – Senator Babakaka Garbai on Sunday charged military authorities to restrategise in order to win ongoing war against insurgency in the country.
The senator, who represents Borno Central at the National Assembly, made the call while speaking with newsmen in Dalori shortly after visiting three communities recently attacked by suspected terrorists.
He said that the military must live up to expectations by safeguarding the lives and property of the citizens.
“I am demoralized, devastated at the same time psychologically demoralized, visiting the scenes of the attacks in these villages
“I feel highly demoralised because other communities are trying to go back after seeing the pick-up of activities in the communities,” Garbai said.
He alleged that the affected communities alerted the military of the impending attacks but without response.
“I was made to understand that they got the signal of the attack few days to the incident.
“The boys were seen around the area; they reported to the authorities but nothing was done,” he said.
According to him, even some few hours before the attacks, the villagers reported that the insurgents were seen around but nothing was done.
Garbai urged the military to put more efforts in curtailing the activities of the terrorists.
“I will like to appeal to security agencies especially men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, to intensify their effort in ensuring that they beef up security around villages and other vulnerable communities.
“More so, these villages that are very porous, people can come in from any angle, they should try and provide enough security,” he said.
The senator also appealed to the military to strive hard to liberate the 24 local government areas that were either partially or fully controlled by the terrorists.
“There is this assumption that most LGAs in Borno are already liberated by the military.
“In reality, this is not true. It is not true in the sense that apart from Maiduguri, Bayo and Kwaya-Kusar that can be said to be 100 per cent under the control of the Nigerian Armed Forces, others are not.
“And, the police are maintaining law and order in the three liberated area,” he said.
The lawmaker said that other areas, including Mobbar, Abadam and Kala-Balge, were under full control of the insurgents.
“There are also 21 other LGAs partially occupied by the insurgents, even though the LGA headquarters are liberated; the hinterland is under the control of the insurgents, this includes places like Konduga,” he added.
He advised the state government to shelve its planned relocation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their local government areas of origin.
“I was discussing with some community leaders in Gwoza and they said that although Gwoza town had been liberated, there are many wards that are still under the insurgents’ control.
“We should not live under the illusion that the insurgents have been degraded; this is not reality, the reality is that most of the local government areas are partially occupied by insurgents.
“If you move IDPs to their local government areas, you are making them vulnerable to attack, unless you provide maximum security,” Garbai said.

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