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"They Had Time To Repair Their Vehicles Unchallenged"—Lawmaker Slams Army, Recounts How B'Haram Captured Geidam

He alleged the insurgents were moving around the town unchallenged, destroying government facilities and private properties.

Lawan Shettima, House of Representatives member representing Geidam, Yunusari, Bursari constituency of Yobe State at the National Assembly says Boko Haram fighters have taken over Geidam.

SaharaReporters had on Friday reported how gunmen attacked the hometown of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali.

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Speaking on Saturday, Shettima said his constituents have been at the mercy of the insurgents in the last 24 hours.

He added that the gunmen had taken control of Geidam town.

He alleged the insurgents were moving around the town unchallenged, destroying government facilities and private properties.

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The lawmaker added that the Nigerian army refused to act on credible information provided ahead of Friday’s attack but allowed the insurgents to invade Geidam unchallenged.

He said, “My people are helpless; you can’t imagine that as a full Nigerian citizen, you can be at the mercy of Boko Haram for the past 24 hours and nobody cares to do anything about it. They will send a jet that will go and bomb innocent people instead of Boko Haram. This is the kind of thing that is going on now.

“The military formation stationed there does not care to react to what is happening or to counter them. The military is sitting at the western side of the town while Boko Haram are busy moving around town destroying government structures and other things belonging to our people, attacking or harassing innocent people sent out of their houses.

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“The only word I can use here is that people are helpless in their motherland. This is very terrible. As legislators, we are disturbed, especially when money is appropriated and budgeted to tackle this but they are complaining of a lack of weapons to defend themselves.

“Yesterday around this time, these people were informed duly that those guys are coming from the fringes of Lake Chad.

“During the attack of yesterday, they were in a convoy of about 20 vehicles and came into Giedam and held the town to ransom for more than 24 hours. Some of their vehicles broke down and they even stopped and repaired them. They were going around the town and children were following them.

“Authoritatively, I can tell you that these insurgents have taken over Geidam. You can see the videos and the pictures as they move about burning what they want. We have been complaining to the government to relocate the military camp from the western side to the eastern side where Boko Haram usually comes, but nobody is listening."