Business is gradually picking up at Mubi town the second largest town
in Adamawa State.
Mubi town though appears a shadow of itself after it had been taken
over by Boko Haram insurgents about a month ago.
Loading ...Life is slowly coming back to the once bubbling city where thousands
of cows are transported to the southern part of the country.
Our correspondent who was among several journalists conducted round
the city including Maiha, Mubi South, Hong and Gombi local government
areas by some security guides and men of the state emergency (ADSEMA)
saw heartbroken specimen.
Among the specimens were remain of dead bodies that have decomposed
with some mere skeletons, there are also burnt or destroyed vehicles,
motorcycles, burnt homes including blown up structures, churches and
other valuable items.
Movement to see the destruction first hand started from Yola to Hong
for a briefing by Commanding Officer of the rank of Brigadier General
expressed the hope that what eventually comes out from the media could
help the people to go back to their homes.
After the address, the movement began through Hon – Pella – Maiha with
scenes of dead cows used as shifts by the insurgents who use every
trick they can muster.
Along the route the longest bridge just before maiha the local
government headquarters the insurgents blew it up.
This is a setback for government in its efforts at providing
infrastructural and economic development to the people.
One could see some vehicles and houses having the insurgents insignia
of Allahu Akbar (God is great).
Damages caused to structures and vehicles along these routes
especially churches and mosques was unquantifiable.
From there, entering Mubi was somewhat scary in the near absence of
movement of people, you could see people trekking from one place to
the other with livid fear on their faces when they saw our approach
and were only relieved when soldiers waved pleasantly at them.
Entering Mubi one could see that there were activities at the army
barracks while the roads where dry of any vehicular movements except
that of the security personnel.
The mood inside the barracks was that of joy especially as they
celebrate the joy of having dealt serious blows on the intransigent
Haram boys who might have been dreaming of el dorado with the make
belief that they can subdue our able bodied young men who are very
eager to make their nation proud.
Inside some of the soldiers mind one might say is the thinking, “we
are ready to take on the world because we fear and will fear no one”.
Discoveries revealed that about 75% of the Haram fighters are Chadians
and Nigerians while the remaining fraction are Nigerians.
Most of those interviewed in the Mubi market swore that the Chadian
President is behind the crisis and except the Nigerian government
reacts toughly, the country will be in for it.
A provision seller, Abdullahi, who said, he just started to open
within the past few days said the insurgents speak Arabic and are
violent.
Asked why he believes the insurgents prefer to kill Nigerians, he said
it could be because Nigerians have lackadaisical attitude to life and
are extravagant.
“These same people in the past had wanted to overthrow President Derby
who came to power as a result of rebellion can only mean Derby will be
ready to help them do anything since he wants to keep them off his
shoulders even if it is for a while”, he insist.
Asked if life will be the same for him again and he was quick to say
never, cause so much lessons are being learnt from what is happening.
A visit to the Mubi General Hospital was like visiting a grave yard
becauseas only a few stray goats were seen roaming from abandoned
offices and wards and or lizards.
But before then, all the banks in Mubi were browned off by the
insurgents except for the mainstream Bank situated around the Emirs
Palace.
At the Emir’s Palace itself, the Haram insurgents desecrated the
palace to an extend that it will take millions to rehabilitate.
However, the sight of dead bodies litering the vicinity oozing bad
odour could cause an epidemic such as cholera as a patent medicine
dealer alerted.
He pleaded with the government to as a matter of urgency act fast
before it is too late.
At Mararaba where a ferocious fight took place, we saw soldiers
cooking food by themselves and what a sight to behold as they sweat
stirring the food in a mighty and gigantic pot.
Moving from the petrol station by the side of a big mosque tampered
with by bullets, we reached the point where a suicide bomber blew
himself in the middle of the road not just causing a very deep crater
but the resultant effect was the crumbling of a very mighty EYN
church, hospital, Schools and trees that got burnt.
There at Mararaba were charred or destroyed armoured tanks and all
three belonged to the Haram chaps who having stolen them painted them
in their colour with the Arabic signs.
In short, the Haram Criminals also blew up a bridge at Kalaa in an
attempt to stop the eager and victorious Nigerian soldiers from catch
up with them.
But what matters most as for now, is to further boost the morale of
our soldiers who have proven critics wrong by bringing smiles on the
faces of the people.
People should not hesitate to go back home because they are safe and protected.
Its just a matter of time as the insurgents will surely be wiped out.
–
But before I drop my biro, I felt so disenchanted with the Arabic
journalists from Al-Jazeera (both Sudanese) who were asking the SEMA
Secretary if what they saw was not an infringement of human rights by
our forces and thank God the secretary only replied “is it human right
for the insurgents to attack and infringed on the rights of innocent
Nigerians?.
The Al-Jazeera reporters came to Yola and bumped into the movement to
the devastated local governments.
Methinks the nation should watch the activities of these foreign media
who have always misinformed, un-educated people about the true
position of things.
Finally, cherio Nigerian soldiers this is because it was thought you
could not do it but you have proven everyone wrong by your devastation
on the enemies of this country.
After the recapture of Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha, Hong and Gombi,
it is just a matter of time Michika and Madagali will follow suit.
