Insurgency: Reps call for deployment of troops to troubled Borno communities

House of Representatives on Tuesday, urged the Federal Government to urgently deploy military troops to troubled communities in Borno following recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Midala Balami at the plenary session presided over by the Speaker Hon Tajudeen Abbas.

While moving the motion, Hon Balami decried the worsening security situation in the affected areas and stressed the need for immediate military intervention to protect residents and restore normalcy.

He alerted the House to a recent Boko Haram attack on Jibwuwhi and Yarkawa communities in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State. He lamented that the assault led to tragic loss of lives, widespread destruction of properties, and the displacement of innocent residents.

Balami expressed concern that despite ongoing security interventions, violent attacks have continued unabated, leaving communities vulnerable to repeated assaults, economic devastation, and worsening humanitarian crises.

According to him, “The House expresses deep concern over the plight of residents in Jibwuwhi, Yarkawa, and surrounding communities, who are living in fear and distress following the recent attack. Many have been forced to flee their homes, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced security measures and humanitarian assistance.

“The House is alarmed that, despite the scale of the attack, the response in terms of security reinforcement and immediate relief support has been inadequate. This lack of intervention has further worsened the suffering of the affected people, leaving them in desperate need of assistance.”

A lawmaker has raised alarm over the escalating terrorist attacks in Hawul, Askira-Uba, Chibok, and other parts of Borno State, warning that the continued violence poses a grave threat to national security and ongoing efforts to restore peace, stability, and development in the North East.

He cautioned that failure to take swift and decisive action to secure the affected communities and support victims could embolden further attacks, worsen displacement, and deepen the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.

The motion was unanimously supported by members when it was put into voice vote by the Speaker Hon Tajudeen Abbas

The House urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Borno State Government, to facilitate the prompt delivery of relief materials, including food, medical aid, and psychosocial support, to the affected victims.

The House directed its Committees on Army, National Security and Intelligence, and Humanitarian Affairs to investigate the security lapses that led to the attack, oversee the implementation of security reinforcements, and ensure the prompt delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities.

Additionally, the House urged the federal government to strengthen counter-terrorism strategies in Borno State by enhancing intelligence gathering and fostering greater collaboration between security agencies and local vigilante groups. These measures, it emphasized, are crucial in preventing further insurgent activities in Askira-Uba/Hawul Federal Constituency.