Aside from constantly being attacked by the insurgents, returnees and local communities in Magumeri local government area of Borno State say they have no good drinking water.
Magumeri, about 40 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, has experienced a series of attacks by the ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorist groups.
Speaking to DAILY POST, a local from Magumeri, Fantami Umar said, they have lived with the Boko Haram crisis since its inception in 2010, following the riots in Maiduguri in 2009.
But he said the community’s major problem is not only the Boko Haram attacks but also the lack of clean water as indigenes have to travel long distances on donkeys in search of water.
“Going out to look for water exposes our people to attack and abduction by the terrorist groups especially our women and girls. For the men, the insurgents will kill and leave the body and streams of blood to wet the ground.
“It is unfortunate and sad that people are suffering for common drinking water. Lack of drinking water causes people to use water from the streams, which unfortunately is leading to all kinds of diseases as people are also battling with strange ailments as a result of the water they have to make do with.” He said.
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He said, those who call themselves leaders of the people and are living in Maiduguri were called severally and asked to speak to the government on the plight of the people but none of them came forth.
Magumeri local government has recorded a huge number of internally displaced persons as a result of attacks by gunmen with many of its people still living in IDP camps in Maiduguri.
Many of those who returned home that life within Magumeri is no longer the same as many are now considering returning to Maiduguri.
Mohammed Tijjani, who returned to Maiduguri after the recent attack said, the situation in Magumeri is critical as the only network of communication in the town is the Glo network which is also epileptic and was also destroyed by Boko Haram during the last attack cutting the people from the rest of the world.
He said, ” We are appealing to our governor to look into these problems because as we speak if there is any attack, there is no way to communicate and get help for the people. Our so-called leaders and representatives are not patriotic.”
