Youths of Madagali Local Government Area in Adamawa state have alleged that the reason Boko Haram still persists in their areas was due to the undue influence of some stakeholders who pressurize military authorities to release some members of the Boko Haram insurgency who were identified by their victims.
A youth leader, Alhaji Dauda Usman, who spoke on behalf of the youths of the area at the flag- off distribution of relief materials by the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI) in Gulak town of Madagali LGA at the weekend lamented that if the activities of these stakeholders are not curtailed, the Boko Haram insurgency will continue to persist in the area.
He said the Boko Haram insurgency has continued to enjoy cover from prominent personalities because whenever they are identified by their victims and were arrested and handed over to the military after sometimes they are released and sent back into society.
“You will see them walking freely, we know these people but afraid to mention names because they might come after you,” he said.
He also revealed that the hunters manning the areas complained that sometimes when they go into the bush they always bring back empty bags used to bring relief materials to Madagali.
He said the development is pathetic and called all sons and daughters of Madagali and government to come together and fight the insurgency to the finish, adding that the insurgents have left the dreaded Sambisa forest and they now have their enclaves in Madagali.
Also speaking at the distribution ceremony, the Chairman of Madagali, Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, appreciated PCNI for the relief materials and promised that distribution will be done judiciously without religious, political or tribal sentiments.
Yusuf said the relief materials will go a long way to cushion the hardship faced by the citizens due the persistence of insecurity challenges that had disallowed his people from farming for more than three years now.
He said their major request is that government should provide security for them because the insurgents have left Sambisa and have returned and are camping close to Madagli.
He said the development has denied farmers access to their farms for fear of attack by insurgents noting that their women cannot go into the bush to fetch fire woods for fear of being kidnapped
He also said his people are hardworking as one person could harvest between 500 to 1000 bags of grains from his farm “but because of the insurgency our people cannot go to their farms and our women also cannot go out to fetch fire woods for the fear of attack.
” What we need is not food alone, so government should provide us with adequate security especially now that we are approaching farming season” he said
He also thanked ALGON and the governor of Adamawa state Senator Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow for donating relief materials to his people.
Representative of PCNI, Hajiya Nafisa Joda in her response said the PCNI has embarked on the distribution of relief materials to all the local government areas of the state affected by the insurgency.
She said among the local governments affected by insurgency Madagali was allocated the largest share of relief materials because it is the most affected local government in the state.
Joda said she has heard the plight of the people of Madagali and she will relay their plea to the sub-committee on security matters under PCNI to act with urgency to clear the remaining insurgents terrorizing the people.
Also, responding the member representing Michika and Madagali Federal Constituency, Hon Adamu Kamale said the agitations by the Madagali youths will be thoroughly investigated as he promised to take up the matter with the National Assembly.
He said those involved in whatever plot to aid the insurgency to thrive in the area will not go unpunished
Kamale who also witnessed the distribution of Madagali and Michika called on the stakeholders to shun tribal, religious or political sentiments in the distribution of aid.
PCNI has so far distributed relief materials in Gombi, Hong, Michika and Madagali local government areas of the state and promised to rebuild roads and bridges destroyed by the insurgency.
