Boko Haram insurgents have continued their attack on communities in Adamawa State particularly those in Michika Local Government Area, raiding more border villages in the area.
A resident of Garta, one of the villages raided by the sect members who identified himself as Joseph said the insurgents arrived his village around 6pm raiding homes and shops.
He said, “They burnt most of the shops and houses after looting them, as most people had to climb the nearby mountains to save their lives.
“For now I can’t say the number of casualty as we are still in the bush and we learn that they attackers just left the village this morning.”
An unconfirmed report also indicated that the insurgents attacked Kuburshosho village where they burnt the family house of former Governor of the state and current Minister of Youth Development, Mr Boni Haruna.
The insurgents were reported to also attempt entering Kamale village but could not make it due to the River which is currently flooded due to the recent downpour.
No fewer than 10,000 Higgi people of Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State are now living as refugees in Yola, the state capital and its environs, while Michika and other towns in the local government have become ghost towns.
The people who are now displaced persons in Yola cried out of hunger and called on the federal government to register its presence in the area by ensuring that, the Boko Haram insurgency which has brought woes to the people are completely wiped out to enable them return back to their respective homes.
A pressure group under the banner of Higgi People’s Initiatives Organisation stated that it is necessary for them to cry out so that the whole world will be aware of their plight following the attack of Boko Haram in their land.
Addressing a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre on Friday, the spokesperson of the group Barr David Barau explained that after the wreaking and destruction of their local government which led to the death of thousands while thousands of Higgi people also seek refuge in Yola the state capital and other part of the country.
According to Barrister Barau who was a one-time Deputy Governor of the state, “there are today more than 10,000 Higgi people living as refugees in Yola and its environs, while Michika and all other towns in the Local Government Area have become ghost towns.
The group said up till date there is hardly and Federal Government presence in the area whether in terms of infrastructure or socio-economic institution before Boko Haram insurgency compounded to their woes.
He said, “Without any desire to be prescriptive, we would like to draw attention to a part of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pertinent to our outcry. In chapter 11 section 14 sub 2b of the 1st schedule of the constitution it is clearly stated that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
He pointed out that all internally displaced Higgi people in Yola and its environs are in the homes of relatives or friends.
“But it can be explained by the fact that the Higgi are a Diaspora people and are generally guided by the principle of being their brother’s keeper. Thus, it is common to find one home hosting 60-100 people in Yola today. Needless to add that both the refugees and their hosts are in very unpleasant and difficult conditions,to put it mildly.”
The former Deputy Governor noted that, “it is obvious that the Nigerian Government has failed the people of Higgi in this respect since the Boko Haram insurgents have driven the people from their land and disrupted their security and welfare in the past four weeks and occupied their land with no end of sight to their occupation.”
He commented that it is in the light of this that the Higgi People’s Initiative, an umbrella organisation of all Higgi Sons and Daughters, hereby cry out to government, philanthropists, NGOs and well meaning individuals to come to the rescue of displaced Higgi people in Adamawa State.