Boko Haram Occupy 6 LGAs of Borno North, Displaced Over 300,000 People, Recruits Youths in Baga, kills Scores of Naval Personnel in Doron Baga Fish Dam....

Monguno, Gajiram Residents Returning to Normalcy.. SEMA Distributes Relief Materials, Recover Stolen Bags of Food Items, Bread Diverted to Open Market...

Following the occupation of 6 LGAs out of the 9 LGAs of Borno North Senatorial District of Borno State by the Boko Haram Insurgents since Friday, 28th December 2018 to date, over one million residents of these LGAs have been displaced and taking refuge in the remaining 3 LGAs of the Borno North, Niger Republic, Maiduguri city, headquarters of Gajiram and Mongnuo as well as Gajiganna town of Magumeri LGA and Tungushe village of Konduga LGA of Borno State located along the 130 kilometer Maiduguri - Mongnuo road.

A situation that put hundreds of thousands of inhabitants in suffering and hardship, trekking between 30-80 kilometers by road to find succour in other towns and villages of Maiduguri, Magumeri, Gubio, Mobbar, Konduga LGAs and Gajiram as well as Mongnuo towns not occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents since December 2018.

Visit to Monguno town Friday and Saturday last week revealed that the maisuguri - Mongnuo poor condition tarred road is free and opened to motorists against the earlier speculated closure of the road when the Boko Haram insurgents attacked Monguno.

Motorists, Mega and Keke NAPEP riders including herdsmen were seen in the road moving freely but all the towns and villages along the stretch of 130 kilometers road were deaerted, no residents, no Secuirty operatives except Tungoahe Gajiganna, Gajiram and Monguno towns and villages indicating all is not well.

Nobody lives in the surrounding towns and villages as all the residents have relocated to either Maiduguri, Tungushe,, Gajiganna, Gajiram or Monguno for safety and fear of being caught on the cross fire of security forces in these places as the security forces - soldiers, mobile policemen, civil defence, CJTF and Vigilante Hunters Group are operating in the axis.

However, two IEDs was seen Detonated along the Monguno - Maiduguri road. One found by the roadside at the military check point, 5 kilometers away from Monguno town and the other about 15 kilometers on the middle of the road and from Monguno town close to Mairari town check point believed to have been planted by the Boko Haram Insurgents against the soldiers and mobile police.

People numbering over 250,000 were seen in Monguno town roaming the streets and others going about their normal businesses while new arrivals from Baga, Doron Baga Cross Kauwa, Guzamala Kukawa, Marte, Abadam and other surrounding villages and towns were seen under trees, sheds, IDPs sheds and market stalls. They comprise of both the aged, young and children, male and female habiting in a pathetic situation under the sole mercy of the vigilante group and CJTF without security from the armed forces except the security forces that accompanied the Governor on his visit.

The Secretary, Vigilante Group, Monguno LGA, Bakura Bukar in an interview in Monguno Friday said, " We are controlling and over-seeing the residents and IDPs since Friday night to date. All the security forces have left. The soldiers were called back to the Barrack (Brigade Command) Monguno while the CJTF and mobile policemen left for maisuguri."

" We work day and night, extending to the sorrouding villages not far from the town. The CJTF only returned back three days ago. "Only their Chairman in Monguno here was around with us.

" We work in the town and villages every day and night. From when the Boko Haram attacked Monguno , all the security forces left us . We have been providing secuirty", Bukar said.

"We have been in charge before their return days ago. No. The boko Haram did not enter Monguno town. They came towards the Barrack not inside Monguno town. They did not at any time entered Monguno town.

"All these displaced people from Baga, Doron Baga, Cross Kauwa and other places came into Mongnuo for asylum and others left or passed other places more safer like Gajiram, Gajiganna, Maisuguri and others.

"But those that have relations in Monguno town are presently squatting with their relations in IDPs camps and host communities while some are still living under the trees and in market sheds and stalls.

" Unfortunately, many of them are on the street daily begging for food to eat. They are in open places . No food. Shelter. No support or aid from anybody.

"No assistance from even Government. We have 6 designated IDPs camps, namely, GSSS, Water Board, GGSS, Kuya, Veterinary, and Kuya IDPs camps.

"Averagely, the new arrivals or displaced persons from outside Monguno town may be about 3000 with daily arrivals from those towns and villages occupied by the boko Haram Insurgents.

Those already in IDPs camps before the new IDPs could be up to 300,000 apart from the residents of Monguno Town which may total about one million in Monguno Town", Bukar said.

A CJTF Hassan Salihu said," We actually have problems and other challenges in doing our job. The work is tasking.

Those from Baga, Doron Baga and Cross Kauwa and other places have emergency needs.The central issue is food, shelter and medicines as well as hygenic water supply.

"Others challenges include cases of rape, stealing and prostitution among the IDPs and residents in Monguno town, particularly, females in the course of searching for something to eat ends up raped and some times mortgage their bodies for money to buy food.

" They don't have money and may have left their things behind at where they were coming from. They do not have option than to beg on the street and prostitute to survive. And these girls and ladies are being exploited with peanut to eat.

"We appeal to the government to come to their aid especially on health as we are also doing our best to assist them. Some people are insensitive to sympathize with the IDPs - raping the helpless ladies and women who approach them for food and support in this cold weather , especially, those on the street and in sheds or under the trees.

"Other females engage in stealing to source for money. Some of them are widows, orphans and missing children" Salihu said.

The Director, Jammaatul Nasirul Islam (JNI) Monguno, Lawan Mohammed said," The rumours that boko Haram Insurgents entered and captured Monguno town is not true".