Plot to Wipe out Christians in Borno uncovered

Four days after gunmen suspected to be members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect burnt down a church and the country home of a serving member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Biye, in Gwoza town in Borno State, another group of terrorists yesterday launched a fresh attack on Sabon Gari village in Hambagda Jaji ward of the local government area, killing eight persons and inflicting severe injuries on others.

This attack came on the heels of the allegation by Biye that there was a conceited effort by the sect to wipe out Christianity from the state.

He alleged that since the beginning of the endless Boko Haram attacks, about 200 churches were completely razed, leaving only about eight churches in the whole of Gwoza council, which is a Christian-dominated area.

On January 8 this year, it was reported that eight gunmen stormed the lawmaker’s village which is a Christian-dominated community at about 8p.m., the attackers carted away about 70 domestic animals before setting the buildings ablaze.

The gunmen had at Biye’s house, burnt a consignment of sorghum, which was meant for distribution to people to cushion their hardships.

They also burnt 30,000 pieces of exercise books, 30,000 packets of pen, sewing machines, generating pump machines, 30,000 packets of chalk, among others which he bought at the cost over N38 million for distribution to schools and people in his constituency.

The lawmaker, who is the only Christian House member from Borno State, lamented that since he was elected by the people of his constituency, there had been daily attacks targeted at Christian communities in Gwoza, Chibok and Damboa Local Government Areas, a situation that forced him to have no option than to stop visiting his people, including his family members for the past two years.

Biye, who said no live was lost in the house, however, expressed disappointment over what he described as the “non-challant attitude” of security operatives to secure his constituency which is one of the worst hit by Boko Haram crisis.

He revealed that prior to the attack on his house by the insurgents last week, he had earlier alerted the security authorities that there was a purported plan by terrorists to attack his village, but all plea to the security authorities to deploy its men to the area felt on deaf ears.

On the attack on Sabon Gari village where eight persons were reportedly killed, it was gathered that the gunmen stormed the village in the night and opened fire on residents before they fled without being arrested.

“What is happening in my constituency is very unfortunate, people are being killed by terrorists on daily basis, churches are being burnt, and if people like my Honourable self, who is also a member House Committee on Army will alert military authorities that based on intelligent report my village will be under attack by terrorists, and nothing was done to secure the area, then it is unfortunate, because an ordinary citizen of this country, especially those from volatile areas are no longer safe or protected by our security outfit,” he said.

“As I am talking to you now, I have spent over two years without going to see my people because I am no longer safe, all my projects which was aimed at alleviating the economic hardship of my people have been destroyed’ there was a time I sent my contractors to construct a health centre in Gwoza town, when they dug the foundation, a day after, some Boko Haram elements went and buried everything,” he lamented.