News Rendezvous
The Executive Chairman Of Maiha Local Government Council Hon. Dr. Idi Aminu (Rumbun Adamawa) stormed Bachoe of Garwa State Cameroon Republic for Second International Security Meeting regarding the insecurity of Communities borders between two Countries of Nigeria and Cameroun.
The Idi Aminu along side the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Mohammed Umar Madagali with Hon. Ibrahim Italiya, Member representing Mayo Belwa who is Chairman house Committee on Security Umar Nashon and others top Government officials were among Adamawa’s delegation to the border town to discuss matters of mutual security concerns on the border of the neighbouring communities.
Idi l, who expressed his sincerest gratitude to the Executive Governor of Adamawa State Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who is deeply concerned with the security of lives and properties of people of Adamawa State and it’s boarder areas of Nigeria and Cameroon.
The council boss also appreciated the people of Cameroon for honoring
the invitation from the state on the 27th June, 2020 to attend a similar meeting at Maiha.
Speaking at the occasion, Idi Aminu said, “It is with great joy and excitement that we have this Historic Security Committee Meeting in Basheo, Cameroon Republic.
“This meeting we hope will go a long way in fostering unity and strengthening security in both communities.”
The joint security meeting had in its previous meeting at Maiha outlined key strategic areas of mutual cooperation which included:
a. The Establishment of operational camp at Wuro-ladde to accommodate at least 100 men of joint forces that cut across vigilantees, Hunters and Fulani Association which would be supervised by security agencies.
b. The Local Government would establish a layout camp as
discussed in the last security meeting held in Maiha local government,
Adamawa State Nigeria.
Maiha Local Government on its end has organized joint patrol which
consist of the Military, Police, and security agents. Similarly, other agent like Vigilantes, Hunters and Miyetti-Allah are not left out.
As part of readiness to curtail security problem in the area.
The State through the local government has made it possible by organizing Security agents like vigilante’s, Hunters, Fulani Miyetti Allah for community policing with about fifty trained personnel (50) on patrol at the boarder communities;
Giving updates on the progress of cooperation between neighbouring communities, they outline the following:
1. Provision of vehicles and other Logistics to security agents: The Local Government hires vehicles and motor cycles, with the help of Nigerian Army vehicles to patrol the boarder communities prior to the State and local Government support.
2. Multi-National Border Patrol: The matter has been forwarded to the appropriate authority for approval.
3. Sharing of Information across the border by Security operations and Traditional Leaders: The Local Government and Cameroon border communities have good a rapport especially in the aspect of sharing relevant information that are related to promoting security, as Cameroonian security agents have been repatriating some Nigerian citizens who commit crime at Cameroon Republic for appropriate disciplinary action just as Nigeria does the same.
4. Establishments of Peace Community Committee: The peace committee is already in existence, and it involves the District
Head, Village Head, Ward Head, with Community Leaders, Elites, of both Boarders areas who are negotiating from time to time when the need arises.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Idi Aminu, enumerating achievements of the joint border security said:
1. The issue of trans boarder banditry activities has drastically been
reduced to a minimal level
2. Based on the security meeting between the two boarder communities, the cordial relationship has been greatly improved security
wise and the security in the areas has generally improved.
3. Lastly, looking at the importance of such meeting, Adamawa was presented with the award of Excellence on Peace as; The Best Local Government Chairman Of The Year By The “Ambassadors Of Peace Of
Nigeria.
This is the second time of such meeting, the first time was held in Maiha local Government on 27th June, 2020 and now in Basheo, Federal Republic of Cameroon.
The meeting was attendance by ; the Member House of Assembly Hon Ibrahim Italiya, Special Adviser to Governor on Security, Commissioner For Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs Hon. Muhammed Umar Madagali, Seprefe, Mer’ SLG Dr. Yakubu Suleiman Bwade, Special Adviser on Gen. Administration Hon. Hassan Ahmadu, Sup. Councilor Hon. Dauda Abubakar, CO Army Maiha LG, DPO, Head Of Civil Defence corps, Peace Corps, Immigration, Prison warder, Leader of Hunters, Vigilante’s and top stakeholders among others.
The member Representing Gombi constituency in the Adamawa state house of Assembly, Kefas Japheth, has criticised federal government’s neglect of his community to be attacked repeatedly by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.Kefas said, incessant attacks on Garkida has left the entire Gombi local government in distress and members of the community hopeless over governnents failure to halt repeated attacks on their community.Kefas made this known in a chat with News Rendezvous, in Yola, Adamawa state.Kefas said, the recent killing of six members of his community in a Christmas eve attacks and the kidnapping of five members of the community who were subsequently killed in cold blood has left the entire community in shock at the failure collapse of security in the country.
Japheth Kefas speaking with Rendezvous on the details of the horror experience of the Christmas Eve attacks and effect of the incessant attacks on Garkida, said, the unabated attacks has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty not only in Garkida but in the entire local government because no one feels safe or has confidence in the military to defend them.Kefas said, “This consistent and unrelenting attacks has created an atmosphere of great fear in all our communities in Gombi LGA not only in Garkida town alone.”We feel that the federal government is not doing its job or performing up to expectations in terms of security and defending our people.”The sole responsibility of government is to protect lives and properties of its citizens but in the case of Garkida town reverse is the case.”These so-called unknown gun men suspected to be Boko haram insurgents succeeded in killing six gentlemen on the day of the attack, abducted five youths and subsequently three days later, we saw in a viral video clip how they were executed in cold blood, shot to death in the eyes of the world.”
Speaking on whether his community has confidence in military protection and the impact of the attacks on locals he said, “We have lost hope as to whether this year our people will go to farm because it seems as if the insurgents can abduct us and kill us and there is nothing anyone can do about it.”This is the the fourth time this ugly situation has happened to my people.”Our greatest worry is that in all these attack in Garkida, we always have information about it and the information were always passed to the relevant law enforcement agents, a day or two before it happens, we always report Boko haram sightings close to Garkida area but no effort seems to be made to stop them and the attacks still happen anyway.”Its sad and we are disappointed and our federal government has to do better.”Kefas added that, “The level at which the insurgents target the community is alarming and an embarrassment to the nation.
“I am sad as a person and disappointed that these attacks happen again and again.”Our people are bitter because of the suffering inflicted on them as a result of the losses from the incessant attacks.”Some travelled from far and wide to celebrate Christmas with their families but spent it in the bushes, hiding.””We reliably gathered from our local intelligence, that as at boxing day, about nine (9) trucks carrying the insurgents were sighted hovering around and we might be attacked again.”We have however, resorted to self help and we are mobilising vigilante groups to Garkida, the logistics is quite challenging but that is our best option for now.”We need help, and we cannot be the subject of attacks without end, our people have lost everything.”A local, who spoke to Rendezvous from Garkida said, “We are had to run into the bushes, with my our family members, young and old, all the preparations we were making for Christmas, we have left behind and ran away for our dear lives.
“We were just informed that they were on their way to our town again in several trucks, like it happened in February this year, no military was on the ground to help us, so we ran away to the nearby bushes and trees and rocks, hoping they would not follow us there, both the old and young, men and women.”Again, we were forced out of the comfort of our homes, and right now, no one can tell you the scale of destruction they are wrecking on our community because we are all hiding, hoping for the best.”Another residents told Rendezvous, “I am just returning from a journey now, from what I can see, they have burnt down living faith church, about 19 vehicles belonging to a construction company, working on some road projects in the area, shops, homes, and personal properties have been set ablaze.”I don’t think we are part of Nigeria, because these people just come to our community anytime they want, take whatever they want and leave however they want unchallenged, whenever, there are military in this town, there are no Boko Haram and whenever Boko Haram come, there would not be military, I think we are on our own, if you build a house, they will destroy it, if you rebuild it, they will destroy it again, so, what us the point?” he lamented.
Garkida Community, a home to the current chairman of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) General Paul Tarfa and to the former Governorship candidate of the SDP in the 2019 general elections, Emmanuel Bello, has become the epicenter for recurring Boko Haram incursions and consistent attacks in Adamawa.The attacks has continued to leave members of the community despondent and perplexed as members cry out to government for intervention as the attacks happen again and again without military intervention.Gombi local government, one of the seven local governments in northern Adamawa that was occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents during Boko Haram invasion of the state in 2014, Garkida, a community under Gombi local government was one of the places worst hit by the attacks, now six years later, no one wondered that it would again become a place for regular attacks and invasion in 2020.
In early 2020, February 21st to be precise, Boko Haram insurgents, The Sun reported, invaded the town hours after federal military forces left the community and held the community ransom for about three hours, killed several, looted shops, homes, burnt down churches and left the community members devasted, mulling over their loss as they were working hard to rebuild their lives from the losses of 2014.Just on the eve of Christmas 2020, again, Boko Haram struck Garkida, as community members left everything behind, spent their Christmas Eve in the bushes, watching and waiting, while the insurgents ransack their homes, burn down churches, and killed at least six people, community members told Daily Sun, without any government intervention.So, it was a Christmas, Garkida would never want to remember as residents recount the horror details of their ordeals.
The Adamawa lawmaker representing Gombi/Hong at the federal house of representatives, Yusuf Buba Yakub, had called for wider participation of political stakeholders towards deepening the gains of democracy across the country.Buba said wilder participation by all stakeholders to address the developmental needs in his constituency, has become critical and paramount.Buba Yakub Said, “I’ have sunk over 300 hundred boreholes across my onstituency.”Speaking against the backdrop of pictures making the rounds on the social media depicting acute water shortages in Kulda, a village in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Yusuf Buba Yakub says, “Have personally sunk over 300 boreholes in the entire Federal Constituency and calls on other stakeholders to contribute their quota.”Buba in a statement issued by his media aide, Nkem Anyata-Lafia, “As at the last count, I have sunk over 300 boreholes personally in the whole of the Constituency.”This represents one borehole for each of the 254 Polling Units of the Constituency.”If the Local Government Area whose primary responsibility is to provide such basic needs of the people like water, primary health care and rural roads can do half of what I have done, such villages like Kulda and the reported lack of water will not be existing in Hong LGA or in any part of the Constituency today.”I am proactive and developmentally minded that was why I set up the Captain Buba Industrial Village to train and empower Constituents in various skills.”But this is a clarion call by all principal stakeholders in the State, Local and National leadership spectra to do more to develop their land and offer a new lease of life to the people.”Some few weeks ago, the Member representing the area had flagged off a number of projects and commissioned some completed ones; one of which was at the behest of President Muhammadu Buhari.”Some of these projects, included a hospital project at Gombi North, a flood and an erosion- control project, a road project, a water project at Gombi, Garkida, Hong, Pella, Uba, among other areas.”It was important to highlight some of the above realities in the light of the prevailing circumstances in some areas of the Constituency and as part of efforts towards addressing part of the infrastructural deficits in the area and more commitment was required by all to achieve comprehensive results.”
