Boko Haram explosion devastates Borno, 5 days after Zulum cried out over resurgence of the Islamist jihadists
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“Minister Idris has to come to Borno under my personal invitation to follow me to Damasak.
“This would avail him the opportunity to tender an unreserved apology and to tell Nigerians whether Governor Zulum, the Shehu Of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi and other security agencies who deliberated extensively on the renewed attacks, were all better informed that Borno is losing ground to terrorists or not”
– Yerima Kareto, former Borno Commissioner, in a riposte to Bola Tinubu’s Information Minister who denied Boko Haram resurgence in the North East on April 9.
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A driver and at least seven passengers were killed and several others injured on Saturday when their bus ran into and inadvertently detonated an improvised explosive devices (EIDs) suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists along the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu federal highway.
The carnage came five days after Borno Governor Babagana Zulum cried out that the Islamist jihadists are on a resurgence and overrunning the state and other parts of the North East – and three days after Information Minister Mohammed Idris lampooned the claim.
The attack happened at about 11.30 am on Saturday when a convoy of private and commercial vehicles was been escorted by troops from Damboa to Maiduguri.
Vanguard learnt that the incident occurred near Gidan Kaji (Poultry House) located in Konduga Council of Borno. The Poultry House has been closed and deserted for over a decade following the Boko Haram crisis.
The explosion occurred a few hours after former Borno Trade, Commerce and Industry Commissioner Yerima Kareto lambasted Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris for saying that Borno is safe, contrary to reports that security agencies are being overwhelmed by terrorists following renewed attacks.
Damboa District Head Lawan Maina told Vanguard that all those who sustained injuries have been evacuated and admitted at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri and the remains of the victims are under profiling.
“It is very saddening to inform you about the explosion that took place along Damboa-Maiduguri road this morning,” Maina said.
“A driver of a hummer bus and seven passengers died at the spot, while many others sustained various degrees of injury.
“I want to appeal to the federal government and the security agencies to redouble their efforts in complementing Borno State Government’s support and cooperation to defeat Boko Haram terrorists in the North East sub region.”
Zulum and his entourage visited those injured in the hospital and ordered their free treatment.
Kareto, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party in Borno, has invited Idris to the state and follow him to Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Council alone to see the extent of damage still being done by terrorists.
Kareto, who hails from Damasak – a hitherto liberated border town with Niger Republic and about 190.5 kilometres from Maiduguri – promised to personally drive Idris to see things for himself before making any statement on the renewed Boko Haram onslaught across the North East.
On April 8, at the end of an expanded security council meeting of heads of security agencies, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Maiduguri, Zulum – who chaired meeting – warned that the state is losing control to Boko Haram in its renewed attacks which have taken many lives and dislodged military formations in Wulgo, Sabon Gari, Wajirko, and Izge, among other places.
Idris issued a statement on April 9, that he personally signed, which disagreed with Zulum’s claim.
He insisted that the Bola Tinubu administration remains committed to combating terrorism and banditry across the country, and argued that the security agencies are working round-the-clock to bring the situation in parts of Borno and other states under control.
Idris’s statement attracted widespread public condemnation.
On April 10, his Media Aide Rabiu Ibrahim described the report credited to his principal as “categorically false and a gross distortion of the minister’s remarks.”
Ibrahim stressed that, at no point did Idris say, “Ignore Zulum, Boko Haram has not taken over Borno.”
A counter statement Kareto issued at the weekend said Ibrahim alleging that Idris was misquoted is not enough, and invited Idris to Borno to personally tender an apology to the government and people of the state.
Kareto wrote: “Let me informed the Minister that such statement is not enough to cool the high tensions raised on the resilient Borno people who have trust and confidence in Governor Babagana Zulum’s good governance, this can be attested to numerous people oriented projects and the unrelenting support in cash and kind to security agencies since 2019 to date.
“Minister Idris has to come to Borno under my personal invitation to follow me to Damasak. This would avail him the opportunity to tender an unreserved apology and to tell Nigerians whether Governor Zulum, the Shehu Of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi and other security agencies who deliberated extensively on the renewed attacks, were all better informed that Borno is losing ground to terrorists or not.”
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