Residents of Jakana village in Borno State, northeast Nigeria have said that, while they are appreciating the governor of Borno state for the show of love and visit to the area following the attack last week by members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, they are worried by lack of sincerity on the part of the security operative, in ensuring protection of lives and property in the area.
Bulama Kundiri, who spoke with DAILY POST in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, said they have expressed their worries to the governor when he visited and told him all that had happened including the abduction of some girls.
“The insurgents also looted our food after killing some of our people. The governor said, we should stop running away to Maiduguri, but the truth is, where did he want us to run to when these attackers came with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons?
“Some of our people are just returning back after the attack last week. We are here when the came to attack, security operatives who are supposed to provide protection were nowhere when all these is happening and the government is asking us to stay and not to run to Maiduguri.
“We heard him and we appreciate but if the security situation continues like this, we would all run to Maiduguri and stay with them,” Bulama Kundiri said.
Another resident, Mohammed Wakil, who has relocated with his families from Jakana to Maiduguri following the attack told DAILY POST in Maiduguri that, they thought that peace have return when government asked IDPs to return home, but that they never saw peace when they return.
“We live in IDP camp for three years before relocating to stay in the host community. When government said we should return home, we were happy that peace has returned. But what we saw last week with the attack, we know that peace in Borno is not near coming.
“The governor was in Jakana, he heard from our elders, so whatever he told us as our governor, we would listen but it is not good to ask us to remain with attacks going on. Some of our people are very angry with that plead from a governor who came and saw the hardship our people have been exposed to and the lack of protection in the area.
“For me, I am relocating to Maiduguri, because of the conflict,” Wakil said.