• My children are fatherless, insurgents must be prosecuted, says Borno woman
• ‘I’m sad govt releasing insurgents who killed my husband, abducted my daughter’
• I’ll recruit local hunters to secure Baga if soldiers can’t, Zulum says after attack
John Alechenu, Adelani Adepegba, Kayode Idowu and Godwin Isenyo
Widows and other victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State have berated the Federal Government for taking care of the insurgents at the expense of the internally displaced persons.
The IDPs stated this in a report published on the BBC Hausa Service website accessed on Thursday by one of our correspondents.
They lamented that government, which is spending huge resources on the insurgents, had not paid adequate attention to widows, orphans and other victims of Boko Haram’s attacks.
Some of the victims, who also spoke to The PUNCH at an IDP camp in Maiduguri on Thursday, faulted the amnesty granted the insurgents and insisted that they should be prosecuted.
A few weeks ago, the Federal Government said 603 repentant Boko Haram insurgents, who had completed the de-radicalisation programme would be reintegrated into communities.
I haven’t received assistance from govt – A widowed mother of four
But the victims opposed the government’s plan.
The BBC reported that a widowed mother of four said her husband was killed in her presence by Boko Haram members, some of whom, she said were being taken care of by government.
The unnamed woman stated, “I have not received any assistance. I am are left with four children. The kind of life we live now is some days we eat some, other days we have nothing to eat and then you (government) say ‘Boko Haram fighters have repented,’ and you take care of them.
I have spent six years in IDP camp – Widow “What about us who have spent six years in the (IDP) camp. We are not taken care of. Only those who came from the bush, looking for amnesty are the ones being taken care of.
I wash clothes for people to feed my children – Widow
“Honestly, the government has not been just on this issue because I don’t get money to feed my children until I go and wash (clothes/dishes) for people.”
Another victim, who lost four brothers to Boko Haram attacks, said, “They drove us out of our homes. Are these the people we are going to live with as if nothing happened?”
I am sad govt is releasing insurgents who killed my husband, abducted my daughter – Widow
A widow, Tata Hussaini, who has been living in an IDP camp in Maiduguri since 2014, when her husband was killed at Tumbum-Mata, Baga, said she had not seen her daughter who was kidnapped by the insurgents.
Hussani, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Thursday, said, “I do not know if she (her daughter) is still alive. She should be 13 years by now.
“I am sad that they (government) are releasing them (Boko Haram insurgents) despite killing my husband and many others. They have abducted my daughter and thousands of others. They have made living a pain for me and many others.”
She, however, appealed to the insurgents to release her daughter.
Boko Haram can’t repent, I will leave my community for them – Male IDP
Another IDP in Maiduguri, Ayuba Ali, told The PUNCH that he escaped from an attack in Baga, where his wife and three children were killed.
“If they (repentant insurgents) are released to the community, I may leave the community for another place. I do not believe they can repent.”
On her part, in an interview with one of our correspondents, Meimunat Mohammed, whose husband and six-year-old son were taken away in 2014 by Boko Haram in Baga, said the insurgents must have killed them.
My children are without father, insurgents must be prosecuted – Borno woman
Source : Punching.com
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