Gamboru Residents To Relocate Over Boko Haram Massacre

12 May, 2014

Residents of Gamboru town which is located between Borno State and Cameroon border in the Northern part of the country, on Sunday said they are tired of repeated Boko Haram attack in the area.

* Photo Of Burnt Gamboru International Market
Some of the residents disclosed to newsmen that they have decided to move to Cameroon for safety as the Nigeria Government could no longer protect them from deadly Boko Haram attacks.  
The community’s spokesperson, Bulama Modu, who said they had no choice rather than to relocate, said the decision was the only way to avoid more killings by the sect members who recently attacked their town and killed over 200 people.
It would be recalled that several people were killed on May 4 in Gamboru, their international market was set ablaze and several public structures including a major bridge linking Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad blew up.
"The people of Gamboru-Ngala have been patient for a long time even as our people continued suffering serious loses of both lives and property in the past without the Federal Government and security operatives doing anything to protect us" Modu said.
The spokesman, who complained that the Nigerian army and other security agencies have not done enough to protect them, said; "Our experiences in most of the attacks especially the recent one confirmed to us that Federal Government and its security forces have failed to protect our lives and property.
"Now that the level of killings and destructions inflicted on us reached its peak, the alternative before us is to take away our whole families and take permanent refuge in Cameroon Republic, because our lives would be more secured there.
“We have more reasons now to believe possible conspiracy which may not be ruled out in the last attack, because the troops earlier stationed in the town were withdrawn few hours before the gunmen laid siege on the area”, said Mr. Bulama.
“We felt abandoned and neglected when the soldiers deployed to the town were suddenly pulled out and re-deployed to other parts of the state under the excuse that they went searching for the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
"It was a very pathetic situation for us because we were left at the mercy of policemen at the border outpost here, who gallantly engaged the gunmen, but later had to run as the insurgents were overpowering them with their more sophisticated weapons and large number" he said.
According to another resident, who said he lost three brothers during the recent attack, said; "We, the entire community members have long concluded arrangement on how to leave Nigeria for Cameroon, where we believe our lives may be well protected and safe".
Another bereaved resident, who gave his name as Yerima, said; "The sooner the Federal Government adopts drastic measures to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency before it consumes more lives, the better. We will not continue staying in our country when our lives are being endangered. Government should urgently do something before the situation gets out of hand".

Borno State Governors' Response 
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, after accessing the level of damages done by the boko haram attack, promised that government would alleviate the suffering of the people.
"My heart goes out to you all; we are really in a period of crisis. Please consider these incidents as occurrence which the Almighty God is very much aware. I assure you all that government will rebuild the burnt market and assist the traders to minimize their financial losses. I have just appointed a seven-member committee whose chief responsibility is identifying all victims for possible assistance" he said. 
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 Gamboru Residents To Relocate Over Boko Haram Massacre