Residents of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State have again appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene over what they describe as years of killings, displacement, and neglect.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Gwoza Community said hundreds of lives have been lost, thousands displaced, and scores of churches destroyed during the Boko Haram insurgency, with little effort at resettlement The group said at least 146 Christians were burned alive, while 99 churches were destroyed in 2013 alone, as coordinated attacks swept through Gwoza and neighbouring communities. Many residents are missing or displaced across IDP camps within and outside Nigeria.
Describing the situation as a silent crisis, the group accused authorities of denial and selective reconstruction.
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They also raised concerns over unresolved abductions, including five members — one a former vice chairman of the local government — who was kidnapped in 2013 and have not been found since then
According to the Group 148 out of 176 churches in Gwoza were destroyed, with only twelve rebuilt, mostly during the tenure of former Borno State Governor and now Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
They further disclosed that in Gwoza West alone, 74 communities were sacked, nearly 37,000 families displaced, and 292 people killed, while other areas like Attagara, Ngoshe, Pulka, Limankara and Gava also suffered heavy casualties.
The briefing was attended by representatives of the Vice President, the First Lady, the Department of State Services, and the media.
(Editor: Roluke Ogundele)
