Terrorism: 800 Youths Flee Northern Nigerian Town
No fewer than 800 Chibok youths have in the last six weeks fled their homes and ran to Lagos, Kano, Abuja and other cities to evade attack b...
http://www.africaeagle.com/2014/09/terrorism-800-youths-flee-northern.html
No fewer than 800 Chibok youths have in the last six weeks fled their homes and ran to Lagos, Kano, Abuja and other cities to evade attack by the violent Boko Haram sect.
It was learnt that the sect had embarked on mass abductions of young men as fighters and many Chibok youths and others from the surrounding villages were being abducted by the insurgents for conscription.
Places affected in the Chibok area include Kwada, Ntsiha (A and B), Kwarnglum District, Kwaple village, Kautikari, Kaumutayahi, Chibok main town, Shawa, Tsilari and Nguradina.
The Director of Publicity, Kibaku Area Development Association, Dr. Manasseh Allen, who stated this in a telephone interview on Thursday in Abuja, explained that the fleeing youths were taking up menial jobs in Lagos, Abuja and other places to eke out a living.
Allen, who returned from Chibok last Monday, however, said that there was relative security in the town following the deployment of a detachment of soldiers and policemen.
He said that nearly all the Chibok Local Government Area workers had also fled for fear of being attacked by the Boko Haram terrorists.
Allen said, “Many of them have relocated to Damboa which is under the protection of the military.
“I went to Chibok last Friday and came back on Monday; my parents are still there, I have persuaded them to leave, but they refused. I have just received a list of 800 youths who have fled Chibok because of constant Boko Haram abductions. Some of them have fled to Lagos where they are doing menial jobs. They abandoned their homes, families, farms and businesses because the area is not safe.
“Even after the abduction of the schoolgirls, many people did not leave, but the moment the Boko Haram insurgents started attacking the surrounding villages, the residents started fleeing.”
Allen, however, disclosed that many of the Chibok residents who have yet to flee now depend on goodwill and assistance from churches for survival.
He said, “Apart from those that have farms adjoining their houses, majority of the people cannot go to their farms and those that were displaced at the outset of the raining season, did not plant anything and they are facing food crisis.”
Source: The Punch
It was learnt that the sect had embarked on mass abductions of young men as fighters and many Chibok youths and others from the surrounding villages were being abducted by the insurgents for conscription.
Places affected in the Chibok area include Kwada, Ntsiha (A and B), Kwarnglum District, Kwaple village, Kautikari, Kaumutayahi, Chibok main town, Shawa, Tsilari and Nguradina.
The Director of Publicity, Kibaku Area Development Association, Dr. Manasseh Allen, who stated this in a telephone interview on Thursday in Abuja, explained that the fleeing youths were taking up menial jobs in Lagos, Abuja and other places to eke out a living.
Allen, who returned from Chibok last Monday, however, said that there was relative security in the town following the deployment of a detachment of soldiers and policemen.
He said that nearly all the Chibok Local Government Area workers had also fled for fear of being attacked by the Boko Haram terrorists.
Allen said, “Many of them have relocated to Damboa which is under the protection of the military.
“I went to Chibok last Friday and came back on Monday; my parents are still there, I have persuaded them to leave, but they refused. I have just received a list of 800 youths who have fled Chibok because of constant Boko Haram abductions. Some of them have fled to Lagos where they are doing menial jobs. They abandoned their homes, families, farms and businesses because the area is not safe.
“Even after the abduction of the schoolgirls, many people did not leave, but the moment the Boko Haram insurgents started attacking the surrounding villages, the residents started fleeing.”
Allen, however, disclosed that many of the Chibok residents who have yet to flee now depend on goodwill and assistance from churches for survival.
He said, “Apart from those that have farms adjoining their houses, majority of the people cannot go to their farms and those that were displaced at the outset of the raining season, did not plant anything and they are facing food crisis.”
Source: The Punch
