The Borno State government Saturday revealed plans to construct trenches around vulnerable villages in the state to ward off attacks by Boko Haram insurgents.
Governor Kashim Shettima made the plan known during a visit to some villages in the state to assess the damage done to them by the insurgents.
Shettima, while lamenting the attacks, gave the assurance that proactive steps would be taken to safeguard their lives and property. “We will construct trenches around the entry points to prevent the terrorists from carrying out attacks. We will also fortify the areas by providing more security personnel to watch over the areas,’’ the governor said.
He said the government was concerned about the attacks on the communities and assured that individuals who lost their houses or relatives would be assisted.
Shettima further expressed optimism that the problem of insecurity would soon be a thing of the past. “We are on the right path and God is with us. God willing, we will defeat them (insurgents),’’ he said.
The District Head of Ari Dawari, one of the communities attacked by the insurgents, Mallam Bulama Dawari, speaking earlier, told the governor that his people were planning to flee the town.
“Our village is just 3km from Maiduguri, the state capital, but we are not safe. The insurgents carry out their attacks on our community at will; my people are already packing their belongings to leave.
“Our community is made up of farmers who depend solely on subsistent agriculture. But without adequate security, we will have to leave because our lives are no longer safe,” Dawari said.
He added that the villagers would stay if more troops are deployed to the area to safeguard their lives and property.
-Leadership
