Musa Buba
Boko Haram attacks in Yobe
From one of the most peaceful states in the country, Yobe state became one of the hot beds of the Boko Haram insurgency in the last few years. In particular, peace was murdered in the state on Novemeber 4, 2011, where about 100 people were killed in one fell swoop on a Friday. Since then, the story emanating from the state and indeed the North East geopolitical zone used to be the sad tale of attacks, killings, slaughtering of school children and the detonation of Improvised Explosive Devices.
On 1st December, 2014, the Yobe state capital was also overrun by the insurgents for eight hours as air force fighter jets became the only rescue remedy to the residents. Many houses, government structures and other assets were burnt down and several people were killed, forcing both indigenes and non indigenes to sell their landed properties and flee. Some survivors simply relocated their businesses and domiciles to other parts of the country.
Owing to these senseless attacks, the developmental strides of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam and the rich cultural heritage of the people are given scant mention in the media. Peace, at that time, became very elusive in spite of several efforts to bring it about by both the state and federal government.
However, Yobe state is becoming relatively calm at the moment and business activities are beginning to pick up. In addition, those who lost loved ones and places of abode as well as businesses have started picking the pieces.
A good number of people who had sold their houses and fled are gradually coming back to the state, markets that were forcefully closed down by government due to fear of suicide bomb attacks have all been reopened. Adamu Haruna who lived in Damaturu for 23 years but left as result of the insurgency said, “Yobe has become my second home, now that the place is peaceful, I have come back to start afresh. And by God’s grace, I will raise fund in near future to erect another house since I have sold my only house ”.
For Kachalla Lawan Gana, “the government is doing its best. Yobe state government has reconstructed almost all the primary and secondary schools burnt down by the insurgents and new ones constructed. In fact, it went an extra mile by establishing Yobe state University Teaching Hospital and five secondary schools across the state. Things have improved, our children can now go back to school and also have access to health facilities that is why I am back”.
Mr. Peter Joseph who is a dealer on building materials attested that, “when the insurgency was at its peak, people hardly built houses talk less of buying the materials. Thank God peace has returned, the demand is very high now, individuals and government are into reconstruction; in fact plots of land are costly, those who sold theirs are now singing ‘had I known’ chorus.
Kabiru Ali and Hajiya Amina Mai Kosai said, in those days they hardly get three square meals a day, but these days things have changed and they now have means of livelihood and can send their children to school.
International support
Blueprint Weekend’s investigations show that since the advent of the insurgency, international donour agencies such as World Food Programme WFP, Fadama III, UNICEF, IFAD, International council for Refugees, Red Cross, FAO, UNHCR, Medicin San Frontiers, Action Against Hunger, WHO among others have assisted millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to find succor.
In addition, these agencies have also helped them in regaining their means of livelihood. They are regarded as life savers to the abandoned women and children who are always first victims of every war.
Banking without fear
Due to regular attacks on banks during the insurgency all banks were forced to either close down or operate minimally between 10am-12noon. Some residents had to travel to other neighbouring states in order to make cash withdrawals. Now that things have improved, almost all the banks operate for at least eight hours while branches that were closed have been reopened.
Peace at last
With the return of peace, Yobe state will witness unprecedent development, according government officials, to make up for the time that was lost to the Boko Haram insurgency. Indeed, there is no substitute to peace and no meaningful development could be achieved without peace.
