By Harriet Tornguvan
Borno State in North East Nigeria, which was once known as the "Home of Peace" has been bedeviled with series of violence, killings, kidnapping with the advent of Boko Haram insurgency, an Islamist group seeking to establish a caliphate and the universal implementation of “pure” sharia law to resolve the ills facing northern Nigerian Muslims.
Since 2014, the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency has caused insecurity and massive displacement of citizens in north-east Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. An estimated 2.6 million people are internally displaced – more than half of whom are children.
Boko Haram, acquired global notoriety with the mass kidnapping of schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in 2014. No fewer than 276 mostly Christian female students aged from 16 to 18 were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group from the Government Girls Secondary School at the town of Chibok in Borno State. Prior to the raid, the school had been closed for four weeks due to deteriorating security conditions, but the girls were in attendance in order to take final exams in physics.
Out of the kidnapped school girls, 184 of the girls have escaped or have been rescued by the military troops in the North East of Nigeria
Just recently, a 5-month pregnant lady, Lydia Simon, who was one of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, was found and rescued by the Joint Task Force ( North East) of Operation Hadin Kai. She was rescued along side with her three children.
Lydia with serial number 68 escaped from the camp Ali Ngulde in Madarala, where she was held by the terrorist for 10 years against her will.
SONIC Media reporter, who was part of the Defence Media correspondents, who were on a tour of military operations in North East, spoke with Lydia in Hausa language and here is a direct translation of what she said:
"I summoned courage to leave, I could not bear the pain anymore. After I escaped, I met with the soldiers in the bush where they rescued me.
"They were nice to me and my children. They bought us clothes and gave us good food to eat and we are both safe now.
Lydia said she has been married three times to different Boko Haram terrorists. She noted that her first and second husbands were killed by the soldiers and then she was married off to the third husband.
When she was asked if she would like to go back, the mother of three said: "GOD FORBID".
The insurgency in the North East has also brought an untold headship to the citizens of the state. Approximately 3.2 million people have been displaced due to the Boko Haram insurgency over the past decade in Borno State.
At a visit to one of the IDPs camps in Maiduguri, a survivor of Boko Haram insurgency, Hajih Fatima Abdullahi, narrated her ordeal to our correspondent, saying:
"I left my place Doro-Baga with nothing and came to seek shelter. I wish the government can provide safety to help everyone go back to their homes and face their lives
Speaking on an experience she will never forget, Fatima said, she lost her clothes in the process of running in the bush to escape from the Boko Haram when they invaded her village.
"I can't wait for peace to be restored so that we can all go back to our ancestry home. Life is meaningless to me after experiencing all this attack.
"The military is doing their best to keep us safe but we all wish to go home some day and continue with our normal lives.
Fatima also reviewed that so many people are still being held hostage by the Boko Haram insurgents in Sambisa Forest.
In Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State,, the Defence Correspondents, also met with some surrendered Boko Haram terrorists. Speaking with one of the repentant terrorists, Bulama Ada, explained his role during his stay with the Boko Haram and regretted his actions.
Ada said, he was among the Boko Haram terrorists, who abducted Chibok schoolgirls on the 14th of April, 2014.
"I have fought in different places for the Boko Haram and I surrendered because I was asked to kill some of my family members. That was when I realised that Boko Haram fight was a wrong fight,
"I regret my actions and plead for mercy", he said.
Speaking with one of the officials in the military, Col W.A. Adegoke, he said Borno state was once a peaceful place, He recalled that his first experience coming from Lagos to Borno State was peaceful and without no molestation but the coming of Boko Haram insurgency brought untold hardship into the state.
The Defence Media Correspondents also visited the military cemetery in Maiduguri, the final resting place for the fallen soldiers, who where killed in the line of action. The graves were countless and a glowing tributes were paid to the fallen heroes for numerous sacrifices made to keep the country safe.
In spite of the ultimate price been paid by troops in the fight against insurgency, the Nigerian Army in recent times has continued to play a significant role in the internal security operations particularly the counter-terrorism efforts in the North-east, as gradual peace, economic stability and livelihood are returning to the state that was once devastated by Boko Haram insurgency. All thanks to the kinetic and non-kinetic approach adopted by the Military High Command in tackling insurgency in the North-east region.
