Borno Emir Who Escaped Boko Haram Attack Pleads With Jonathan To End Crises

NAN

Alhaji Kyari Ibn El Kanemi, the Emir of Bama in Borno, on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to take drastic measures toward ending the Boko Haram crises.
El Kanemi made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Bama, headquarters of Bama Local Government Area.He was reacting to Wednesday’s suspected Boko Haram attack in Bama which led to the killing of about 70 persons and the destruction of property worth millions of naira.

El Kanemi said that the Federal Government must equip the military toward fighting the insurgence.

“These people are using sophisticated weapons like bombs, rocket propellers and grenades.

“Nobody is safe in this place again except something is done fast by the government on the security problem,” he said.

He said that he narrowly escaped the Wednesday’s attack after the insurgents carried out attack on his palace.

Narrating his ordeal, El Kanemi said that he escaped to an unknown destination as the invaders were trying to gain access to the palace.

He said that the attackers set ablaze many houses, shops business centres, among others.

“By 4 am on Wednesday, a villager called me to say that some gunmen were moving toward the town.

“So, I called the Commander of the Tank Battalion in Bama to inform him, 30 minutes later I tried to reach out to the GOC but the network was gone,” El Kanemi said.
“Few minutes later, I got information that the state Low Cost Estate was on fire.
“Few minutes later, they were in the palace trying to set the place ablaze and when they could not gain entrance, they broke the door.”We buried 34 bodies at the Central Mosque on Wednesday, but many others were buried differently by relatives.

“We sent words that people should bring all the dead for mass burial but some were not informed on time so they buried their relatives without waiting,” El Kanemi said.The traditional ruler urged the president to visit Borno with a view to getting “get real information on the Boko Haram activities.”

A resident, Malulaamma Modu, however, put the number of death at about 70 persons.