Senator Zannah Ahmed, who represents Borno Central, has told Punch that the people of Bama in Borno State, a town which is currently under Boko Haram’s control, are dying of starvation daily.
This comes as a confirmation to a series of tweets posted by one Yadomah Mandara (@Yadomah) who has relatives in the state and said that the Bama River has gone dark with blood.
She tweeted on Thursday, October 9:
“The #Bama River have dried up and it's now so dark and dirty with human blood and corpses. #Borno...”
“They were giving testimonies of what is going on and they revealed that the situation is so bad, there's nothing to eat or drink in Bama.”
“The Shehu of Bama's mother (My Grand Mother) who refused to leave Bama when the massacre started trekked down to Maiduguri 2 days ago”
“Shattered to hear my cousin was killed in #Bama. His father (district head of Bama) was also captured by the dreaded sect. #Borno.”
Senator Ahmed reportedly stated that the military had abandoned the people of Bama and left them at the mercy of the terrorists.
He said:
“I do not understand the strategy of the military and we deserve an explanation why Bama is still not freed even as the information we are receiving from the town indicates that there are just a few insurgents who are not well armed taking charge of the town.
“The only challenge the military might face is between Konduga and Bama where the insurgents are said to be many. But inside Bama town, they are few and not well armed and it will only require a few soldiers to flush them out.”
“I learnt that the insurgents have been distributing beans to the people but this does not last, as they go on for days without food. To even move out of the town is another sad story entirely.”
“Many women that fled the town and who took a long trek to Maiduguri died en route. They collapsed and died from thirst.”
“Can we be said to be winning the war on Boko Haram, if some of our towns are being captured and our people are living at the mercy of insurgents?”
The Catholic Church in Borno has cried out about the situation in the state saying that Boko Haram is in control of 25 communities.
