by James Sambo

As many as 500 houses have been burnt down by men believed to be members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect in Michika and Madagali Local Government Areas of Adamawa. Many people living in Kubi and Watu villages in Michika LGA have been displaced due to the violence. Most of them who are said to be in hiding away from the insurgents told newsmen on Monday that there is no military presence in the area leaving them unprotected.

“Since the complete take-over of Michika and Madagali by the insurgents on the 7th of September 2014, no single soldier is noticed in Michika Community. The only thing we hear is Jet fighters that come from Yola to drop bombs and go back. Our people are in the state of complete helplessness .

“Government seems not to be coming to our aids as the insurgents control everything in our local government,” the villagers lamented.

According to the villagers, only Vimtim, the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh that has been fortified by the military, giving an impression that the CDS home town is more important than the entire Madagali and the Michika Local Government Areas.

The victims have called on the Federal Government to assist them in routing the militants by deploying military personnel to the area. The villagers claim they have been abandoned by their political representatives who have so far done nothing in alleviating their security problems.

“Adamawa state Acting Governor, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Senator Bindow Jibrilla representing Adamawa Northern Zone, Member house Reps, for Michika and Madagali Federal Constituency, Mr Tistsi Gana our member in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Mr. Adamu Kamale have all not been of any assistance to us since the take over of Michika by the insurgents on the 7th of September,” the villagers alleged.

The Boko Haram Islamic sect have, since 2009, brought a reign of terror on many parts of Nigeria’s North-east killing thousands of innocent citizens. The military has done remarkably well in combating the insurgents but observers believe that more needs to be done to overcome the threat of terrorism in the country.

Isime Esene