Mr Lawan lamented the failure of the federal government and the military to reclaim Guzamala Local Government Area from Boko Haram
The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, has expressed distress over the displacement of the people of his constituency and lack of access to the area for over a decade due to the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.
Mr Lawan spoke on Wednesday while delivering a goodwill message at a 2024 Democracy Day event in Maiduguri.
While commending Nigerians for keeping democracy afloat since 1999, the Speaker praised the administration of Governor Babagana Zulum for its achievements in public infrastructure, healthcare delivery, education, and IDP management.
Mr Lawan stirred emotions when he publicly lamented the failure of the federal government and the military in reclaiming Guzamala Local Government Area, his constituency, which remains in the grip of Boko Haram.
The Speaker, who has been consistent in his lamentations about his constituents, currently living as refugees in Cameroon and as IDPs in various local governments, said civil authorities desert his local government as it remains under the control of Boko Haram.
The Speaker said due to the lack of access to his constituency, the area cannot benefit from the developmental projects undertaken by the state government.
"We have held three elections in IDP camps because our local government area is not safe. We cannot continue like this. Our people are either living as refugees in the Niger Republic or as IDPs in Monguno, Gajiram, and some in host communities here in Maiduguri. We plead with the federal government of Nigeria and its military to, as a matter of responsibility, help reclaim Guzamala Local Government to enable our people to return and continue with what remains of their battered lives. We are tired of living as IDPs. We need deployment of the military to Guzamala because everything that defines civil authorities has been displaced. All our district heads and village heads are taking refuge far away from their ancestral communities," he said.
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Mr Lawan said despite the government reclaiming many communities and returning IDPs to their ancestral homes, "there are still security challenges in northern Borno, where he comes from, which the military must address."
"Up till now, Kukawa town of Kukawa Local Government Area is still not safe because there has been no military presence there for months. The same thing applies to Abadam Local Government headquarters. Our people have no access to their farms and other sources of livelihood. We are in dire need of help," he added.
The Speaker, who has been in the assembly since 2007 and as Speaker since 2011, called on the state's Acting Governor, Usman Kadafur, to take up the matter once again with the federal government.
The deputy governor, during his remarks at the event, said the government had not forgotten the displaced people of Guzamala Local Government Area.
"I want to assure the Speaker that we are on top of the situation as the government has set up a high-powered committee to see that the people of Guzamala are safely returned to their homes before the end of this administration," he said.
