432 killed, half of Chibok communities wiped out in Boko Haram attacks — group
The Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) says at least 432 people have been killed in more than 115 Boko Haram attacks across Chibok LGA of Borno state over the past decade, leaving communities devastated and residents displaced.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Nkeki Mutah, national president of the association, said residents of the Chibok community have endured years of suffering, displacement and destruction, with many towns now deserted.
Mutah said more than half of the communities in Chibok have been wiped out by repeated attacks, forcing residents to abandon their homes and farmlands.
According to him, the attacks, recorded from November 30, 2012, to date, have severely disrupted livelihoods and worsened food insecurity in the area.
“More than half of our towns and villages have been wiped out, with displaced residents unable to access their farmlands to cultivate,” he said.
He described the situation as dire, noting that residents continue to face frequent attacks despite repeated appeals for intervention.
Mutah also highlighted recent incidents, including an attack on Kautikari, the second largest town in Chibok LGA, on March 30, where 11 people, including a vigilante commander, were killed.
He added that other affected communities include Kauthlama and Kwople, as well as neighbouring communities in Adamawa state, where houses and churches were burnt, livestock destroyed, and residents killed.
The KADA president noted that the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok remains a painful reminder of the insecurity in the region, with nearly 100 of the abducted girls still unaccounted for.
“The tragic abduction of our schoolgirls on April 14, 2014, remains an open wound. Sadly, the horror has not stopped,” he said.
Mutah called on authorities to provide emergency relief materials to displaced residents and allow humanitarian organisations greater access to affected communities.
He also urged the Nigerian military to establish permanent security formations in strategic border communities linking Chibok, Damboa and Askira Uba LGAs to prevent further attacks.
In addition, he appealed for support for trained community youths to assist security agencies in protecting vulnerable communities.
The association further urged federal and state governments, international partners and non-governmental organisations to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to affected residents.
