Baga: Borno Governor Orders Swift Reconstruction After Boko Haram, Soldiers Clash

SAN FRANCISCO, April 22, (THEWILL) – Barely 48 hours after fightings between Nigerian military personnel and radical Islamists ended in Baga, Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, Monday ordered the immediate reconstruction of residential and commercial properties destroyed during the clashes that killed about 185 persons and left over 1000 persons homeless.

Shetimma, who in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Alhaji Isa Gusau described the destruction of lives and properties as barbaric and unfortunate, directed the release of relief materials including food items and clothes to displaced residents of the area.

The Governor also asked the State’s Ministry of Works to immediately mobilize and start the reconstruction of houses that were destroyed even before a committee he set up is expected to investigate and submit a report on the cause of the clash, take records of all those killed or injured, and take stock of all houses destroyed and recommend compensation.

In the release, the governor claimed that the number of persons killed as well as houses destroyed has not been accurately ascertained by any competent authority and that government awaits the report of its committee or any reliable source of information to ascertain accurate data.

He warned the media to desist from reeling out figures, criticizing the report in the media that 185 persons were killed and over 200 houses destroyed.

He described as unfortunate a situation when news would be based solely on accounts by some residents in Baga, who spoke with him during his visit, without any independent verification and investigation whatsoever from the media.

The Governor added that regardless of the number of persons affected, the incident was gruesome and highly condemnable.