Boko Haram: Nigeria has failed us; we’ll relocate to Cameroon – Mourning Gamboru residents

“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.”

Residents of Gamboru community of Borno State say they are tired of the repeated attacks by the Boko Haram on them and have decided to move to Cameroon.

Gamboru is a border community between Borno in Nigeria and Cameroon.

The residents said on Sunday that they had no choice than move to Cameroon in order to avoid more killings by the Boko Haram terrorists who recently attacked their town and killed about 200 persons.

Scores of residents were killed in the latest attack on Gamboru on May 4 while the international market there was also set ablaze and several public structures including a major bridge that links Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad, destroyed.

“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”, the community’s spokesperson, Bulama Modu, told Governor Kashim Shettima when the latter visited Gamboru.

The residents said the Nigerian army and other security agencies have not done enough to protect them.

“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conspiracy which may not be ruled out in the last attack, because the troops earlier stationed in the town were withdrawn few hours before the gunmen laid siege on the area”, said Mr.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.”

Another resident, who said he lost three brothers during the recent attack, told Mr. Shettima that “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.”

“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,” the bereaved who identified himself as Yerima said.

After inspecting the damage done to the seemingly deserted community by the insurgents, the Borno governor promised government’s assistance.

“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,” Mr. Shettima said.