Counting Borno’s losses in Boko Haram crisis
While so much has been reported on human loss that followed the nearly five days crisis, Kanem Trust takes stock of material loses some which may take Borno government time to regain. Several police stations, buildings and property estimated at billions of naira belonging to the state and federal governments were vandalised. Police offices were […]
While so much has been reported on human loss that followed the nearly five days crisis, Kanem Trust takes stock of material loses some which may take Borno government time to regain.
Several police stations, buildings and property estimated at billions of naira belonging to the state and federal governments were vandalised. Police offices were the first target of the attack. Besides attacking the mobile police quarters, the state police command and police training school, all in Maiduguri, the group burnt several police stations and vehicles parked in police premises, which include that of Laminsula, old Maiduguri, Makera, among others.
Cont’d on page 45
Cont’d from page 41
The Maiduguri new prison was burnt along with five vehicles parked at the entrance.
The office of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) building was set ablaze by members of the group, as three vehicles and 10 offices were burnt down. The coordinator of the agency, Wakil Mamman Kalanga, told our correspondent that the Nigerian flag at the office attracted the Boko Haram members into the premises, saying office facilities, furniture, internet facilities and other vital documents of NDE were destroyed.
Kalanga, who was visibly disturbed by the incident, stated that all record books and important documents from the inception of NDE in 1987 to date and resettlement equipment for unemployed youths who received vocational training, have been burnt, saying the staff were left with nothing in terms of service delivery.
Asked to quantify the cost of property destroyed, the coordinator said the agency was still counting its losses and that it will be too early to make statement on that issue, but called on the federal government to renovate the office and provide them with facilities.
Two offices of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity was also not spared by the rampaging Boko Haram sect members as a vehicle and other vital documents were destroyed when the building was set on fire .
The headquarters of the State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) seemed to have been accorded special hit by the sect. It appeared that each of the 40 offices there was hit by a locally made bomb and destroyed. Six vehicles were also vandalised.
Secretary of the commission, Alhaji Kashim Mustapha who conducted our correspondent round the affected building, said the management and staff of the agency now sit under the tree which serves as their temporary office as all the furniture, office equipment, ballot boxes and documents were completely burnt. He said the Boko Haram members forced their way into the premises of the commission when the security guards failed to open the gate for them.
Mustapha, who described the incident as horrifying, said the sect members chased away and beat up the guards for failure to open the gate for them, noting that the group shelled some offices while others were set on fire. The scribe said he could not comment on the value of the loss in the attack, but said the estimate stood at billions of naira.
Further checks indicated that 57 primary schools at Jere and Maiduguri Local Government areas were also burnt. A newly renovated Lamisula Primary School, which has gulped over N70 million, courtesy of a corporate social responsibility project being carried out by Zenith Bank, was destroyed by the sect. The project had already been completed, it had new aluminium roofing sheets, new doors and windows, changed internal and external walls, new toilets. Each class had about 35 two-seater tables and benches etc which made it clearly regarded as the best primary school in the metropolis but everything was vandalised during the crises.
The state chairman of the Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Modu Kolo Ngala who also confirmed the figures when he visited some the affected schools revealed that a committee was set up to access the damages and cost of the lost.
While giving a breakdown of the schools affected by the attack, Ngala pointed out that two blocks of six classrooms at Damgari Yerwa Primary School, six blocks of 19 classrooms were burnt. Others are eight blocks of 16 classrooms at Abbaganaram Primary School, three blocks of 10 classrooms at Low Cost Primary School and four blocks of eight classrooms at Goni Damgari Primary Schools respectively. The chairman added that two teachers were also killed by stray bullets inside their homes.
Other government buildings destroyed comprise a magistrate court and social development unit at old Maiduguri. More losses are still being counted.