8 Killed In Fresh Boko Haram Attacks In Borno, Over 200 Churches Razed Down
Four days after gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram burnt down a Church and the country home of a serving member of the house of representatives, Hon. Peter Biye in Gwoza town, another group yesterday launched a fresh attack in Sabon Gari Village in Hambagda Jaji ward of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state killing 8 people, while several residents sustained gunshot injuries.
Honourable Biye in an interview with Journalists in Maiduguri on sunday said " since the beginning of the endless Boko Haram attacks, over 200 Churches were completely razed down, leaving only 8 churches in the whole of Gwoza Council area that are presently still functioning".
On the 8th of January this year, 8 gunmen were reported to have stormed the Lawmaker's village which is a christian community at about 8pm and carted away 70 domestic animals before setting the buildings ablaze.
While in Biye,s house , he said" the terrorists burnt a consignment of sorghum which was meant for distribution to people to cushion their hardships. They also burnt 30,000 pieces of exercise books, 30,000 packets of biro, sewing machines, generating pump machines, 30,000 packets of chalk among others which i bought at the cost of over N38 million for distribution to schools and people of my constituency".
The lawmaker who is the only Christian House of Representative member from Borno state lamented that since he was elected by the people of his constituency, there has been a series/daily attacks targeted at Christian communities in Gwoza, Chibok and Damboa council areas, a situation that forced him to have no option than to stop visiting his people, including his family members for the past two years.
Biye who said no live was lost in the house, however expressed dismay over what he described as " non- challant attitude" of security operatives to secure his constituency which is one of the worst hit by Boko Haram crisis.
He revealed that, prior to the attack on his house by the insurgents last week, he had earlier alerted the security authorities that there was a purported plan by terrorists to attack his village, but all plea to the security authorities to deploy its men to the area fell on deaf ears.
On the Sabon Gari village attack which claimed the lives of eight people in Gwoza council, Biye said, the gunmen stormed the village in the night and opened fire on residents before they fled without being arrested.
"What is happening in my constituency is very unfortunate, people are being killed by terrorists on daily basis, churches are being burnt, and if people like my Honourable self, who is a member House Committee on Army will alert military authorities based on intelligent report that my village will be attacked by terrorists, and nothing could be done to secure the area, then it is unfortunate, because ordinary citizens of this country, especially those living in volatile areas are no longer safe nor can be protected by our security".
No confirmation of the attack could be obtained from either the military or police as at the time of filing this report.