By Gbenga Akingbule.
Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan has on Friday made a passionate appeal to the Military Forces to redouble their efforts in liberating all parts of his constituency from the continued Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist occupation.
Gatekeepers News reports that Lawan who lamented the absence of Military presence in Guzamala, his Local Government Area, and Kukawa, a neighbouring Council Area stated that urgent steps must be taken by relevant authorities to ensure the deployment of troops to the areas.
This was disclosed at the official flag-off ceremony for distribution of Phase IV Scholarship worth N5 million to 446 indigenous students of Guzamala studying In various tertiary institutions held at the Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Multi-Purpose Hall in Maiduguri and graced by the presence of traditional rulers, the academia and politicians.
The Speaker used the occasion to make a specific appeal to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor to fast track efforts ” in the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity by troops of “Operation Hadin Kai’ to restore civil authority in Guzamala and Kukawa Local Government Headquarters.”
According to the Speaker ” the entire Guzamala Local Government area where I hail from is still under the control of Boko Haram sect as there is no presence of troops or civilians as I speak, while in Kukawa which is the Council Headquarter, we only have the presence of civilian population with no military presence.
“There is no existence of civil authority in Guzamala, neither Military presence in the Council Headquarter and its surrounding communities, our people including our District Heads, stakeholders who are here with us are still taking refuge in camps and host communities located in Nganzai, Monguno, and other neighbouring local government areas including Maiduguri metropolis for the last six years.
“Our people are desperate to go back home, it is unfortunate that this is not the first time I have been agitating for military presence in Guzamala and surrounding communities to enable my displaced people take the advantage of Governor Babagana Zulum’s move in Reconstruction and Resettlement, but to no avail. I insist that Guzamala is still a no-go-area,” Lawan cried out.
Lawan who is the current longest-serving Speaker in the country however applauded the Military for its fight against insurgency in other parts of the state and North East Region.
The Speaker revealed that he initiated a scholarship scheme for deserving students from his constituency following attacks by insurgents which is being coordinated by Abdulkarim Lawan Scholarship Committee (HALSC) chaired by Comrade Wakil Sheriff.
While urging the beneficiaries of the scholarship to study hard and excel in their academic pursuit, the Speaker assured that his support for the education and welfare of displaced students from the constituency will remain among his priorities.
