Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri
A member of the House of Representatives, Peter Biye, from Gwoza/Chibok in Damboa in Borno State has alleged that there is a plan by the Boko Haram sect to wipe out Christianity in the state.
Biye made the allegation after gunmen attacked Sabon Gari village in Hambagda Jaji ward of Gwoza local government area of the state killing eight persons and injuring several others.
He said since the beginning of the endless attacks launched by the sect in 2009, over 200 churches have been completely razed down, leaving only about eight churches in the whole of Gwoza Council, a Christian dominated area.
It would be recalled that barely four days ago, unknown gunmen stormed the lawmaker’s village at about 8pm, carting away over 70 domestic animals and setting several buildings ablaze.
The gunmen also burnt 30,000 pieces of exercise books, 30,000 packets of pen, sewing machines, generating pump machines, 30,000 packets of chalk among others which Biye said he bought at the cost of over N38 million for distribution to schools and people in his constituency to cushion the effect of insurgency in the area.
The lawmaker who is the only Christian House of Representative member from Borno state lamented that since he was elected by the people of his constituency, there has been daily attacks targeted at Christian communities in Gwoza, Chibok and Damboa council areas, a situation he said forced him to stop visiting his people, including his family members for the past two years.
He also expressed disappointment over what he described as “non- challant attitude” of security operatives to secure his constituency which is one of the worst hit by Boko Haram crisis.
“What is happening in my constituency is very unfortunate, people are being killed by terrorists on daily basis, churches are being burnt, and if people like my Honourable self, who is also a member House Committee on Army will alert military authorities that based on intelligent report my village will be under attack by terrorists, and nothing was done to secure the area, then it is unfortunate,” he lamented.
He added: “As I am talking to you now, I have spent over two years without going to see my people because I am no longer safe, all my projects which was aimed at alleviating the economic hardship of my people have been destroyed.”