How two Borno lawmakers exposed Army, Buhari false report, revealed Boko Haram control 8 LGs

Two lawmakers from Borno State in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly on Tuesday exposed the false information of the Nigerian Army, including claims by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Boko Haram terrorists have been “technically” defeated or degraded and no longer occupy any local government in the north east. The lawmakers revealed that the Boko Haram terrorists still occupy 8 local governments in Borno State.

The Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, representing Marte/Monguno/Nganzai Federal Constituency, Borno State, and Hon. Ahmadu Usman Jaha, representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency, Borno State, at the House debate on a motion of “urgent national importance”, sponsored by Monguno, decried increasing threat of insecurity in the northeast, demanding urgent intervention. The motion was brought pursuant to Order 8, Rule 4 of the relevant rules of the House.

Monguno decried: “Before the advent of the current administration, the territorial integrity of this country had been compromised as a result of the activities of Boko Haram insurgents. It is also a public knowledge that as a result of the activities of Boko Haram, about two-thirds of local government areas, particularly, in Borno State, the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency, came under effective control of the Boko Haram insurgents, thereby, administering their own rules and regulations, hoisting their flags and comprising the territorial integrity of the country.

“Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, had become another huge IDPs’ camp as a result of the influx of people from other local government areas and it triggered a very huge humanitarian crisis. With the coming of this government and the political will exhibited by the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the gallantry exhibited by our Armed Forces, today, I can report to you that these local government areas have been degraded (reclaimed).

“But of recent, we have started witnessing retrogression in the successes so far achieved in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency, which is a risk of going back to the pre-2015 ugly scenario of Boko Haram effectively having control over some local government areas. And it might trigger mass migration of people from the affected local government areas to Maiduguri.”

Jaha also lamented that Boko Haram has taken control of areas in his constituency, advocating that need to motivate soldiers in the front line to win the war.
Jaha had insisted: “the truth of the matter is, substantial number of geographical locations occupying Borno and other insurgency related areas are still under the occupation of Boko Haram whether we like it or not.

“Let’s take for instance, in local government that has 13 electoral wards like my own, Gwoza, only three or four wards are not under the occupation of Boko Haram.
“In Chibok, I have 10 electoral wards, only two are not under the occupation of Boko Haram. In Damboa, I have 10 electoral wards, only one ward is not under the occupation of Boko Haram. This is as far as Chibok, Damboa, Gwoza Federal Constituency is concerned.
“The same thing; the Chief Whip of the House can bear me witness; out of the 10 local governments in northern Borno, only two local governments and their headquarters, are still not under the occupation of Boko Haram.”

Before the Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, could rule Jaha out of order, the lawmaker disclosed that soldiers on the frontline are being paid N500 daily allowance, totaling N15,000 in a month. He protested how much such a soldier can send home to take care of his family, then, concentrate on the war.

“Our soldiers are not committed because they are not stimulated; they are not motivated; they are not ready to take the war to their doorstep. “Inasmuch as we are not ready to stimulate them, motivate them, make them comfortable, give them insurance, provide insurance cover for each and every military man, definitely we are not going to win that war,” Java had declared.