Properties worth over six billion dollars have been destroyed in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents, the Post Insurgency Recovery and Peace Building Assessment Report reveals.
In his analysis of the report, a Special Assistant to the state Governor, Mr Isa Gusau, said, “956,453 houses were destroyed across the 27 local government areas of Borno state, making 30% of the total houses in the state”.
According to him, it will take a long time to rebuild the infrastructure of Borno state.
The Islamic sect which stands against western education has been operational in the Northeast region since 2009, claiming responsibility for series of destructions in the region.
The governor’s aid said there is a need to preserve Islamic scholars who are against the ideologies of the Boko Haram sect.
“It might be difficult for them to run over towns like they used to do, but you cannot rule out the possibility of having them re-integrate themselves into the society in any part of the country.
“They might target some of these Islamic scholars so we must identify these clerics and protect them,” he stressed.
He hinted that beyond just the forest, the group took advantage of an organised facility, which according to him was a training centre located in the forest, established under the administration of Babangida.
“That served as their coordinating unit and what it means is that they are going to remain spread without proper co-ordination,” he explained.
He gave this opinion while speaking on Channels Television.
Speaking about the Chibok girls, Mr Gusau explained that the governor and his wife are working tirelessly to ensure the safe return of the remaining girls.
According to him, “any true parent will hardly give up on a missing child” and since the governor and his wife also have children, they can feel the pain of the parents of the missing girls.
however, he explained that the mood in the state is that of “strengthened hope”, especially with the miltary’s recent success in capturing Boko Haram stronghold, Sambisa forest.
“We believe that we are now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
“If the military can strengthen the success and build on it, then we think the end of Boko Haram is near,” he added.