Alhaji Garbai Elkanemi, the Shehu of Borno, has recounted a terrifying and sad story how not less than 13 District Heads (DHs) and several Ward Heads (WHs) also known as Bulamas in his emirate have been killed by Boko Haram terrorists.
Elkanemi who spoke during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the Senate Committee on Special Duties led by Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, representing Taraba Central, who were in Borno State to assess the performance of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), the Borno monarch noted that the Boko Haram crisis started in the state in July 2009 following a disagreement between the Izala and Yusufiya Islamic sects.
According to him, the crisis, which degenerated into attacks of police stations and carting away of ammunition in police formations, has also displaced thousands of people who are now taking refuge in displaced persons’ camps across the state, which is why he called on the Senate to increase the funding of the NEDC.
He added, “Gradually, they (terrorists) moved their operations from Maiduguri to local government area headquarters and other towns within the state. In the course of their operations, the emirate council lost about 13 DHs in addition to many WHs, who were killed in their respective domains. The activities of the criminal elements had not deterred our district and village heads of being proactive in reporting their activities to the security agencies.
“I want to call for more funding for the commission to enable it facilitate the reconstruction of destroyed communities and intervention programmes toward empowering all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The call became necessary in view of the huge destruction and losses incurred in the state as a result of the crises in the last 11 years.”
