Borno gov, Zulum, raises alarm, says Boko Haram on verge of taking over Marte LGA

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has warned that the Boko Haram sect and its splinter group, the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP), is on the verge of taking over the Marte Local Government Area of the state following a series of sustained attacks in the area.

The governor stated this when he visited the area on Sunday.

He said the deteriorating security situation in Marte was worrisome as it was the only town that has not been fully occupied by the insurgents.

Zulum, who visited the area to assess the challenges being faced by the residents of the affected council, appealed to the Federal Government to deploy decisive strategies that would ensure that the town does not completely fall to the insurgents.

“Marte was resettled about 4 years ago, but unfortunately, over the last three days, it was ransacked and was displaced again,” he said.

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“About 20,000 people left Marte for Dikwa; this huge number is a threat as allowing them to stay in the camp may make most of the younger ones become vulnerable to recruitment by the insurgents.

“Hitherto, Marte Local Government comprises over 300 towns and villages, now we have only one standing, if we cannot maintain this one, then we will lose the whole Local Government to the insurgents, which will be very obnoxious, and I think we will not allow this to happen.

“Therefore, I am calling on the federal government and the Nigerian Army so that we can put heads together and hold our ground for this single town in this LGA to remain.

“Alhamdulillah, we returned to Marte yesterday and spent the night with the support of the Nigerian Army and our volunteers. The community is now resettled for the second time. Still, my prayers to the federal government of Nigeria and the Nigerian Army are that we do everything possible to keep this town on the ground.”

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