Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The military has explained why it evacuated residents of Sabon Gari, a volatile Borno town to Damboa on Tuesday.
Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj Gen Benson Akinroluyo, told Daily Sun that the military decided to evacuate residents from Sabon Gari, 119 kilometres south of Maiduguri to Damboa camps for displaced persons for safety.
“It is true we are evacuating residents of Sabon Gari town to Damboa IDPs camp. It is to ensure their safety. It is for their interest and their safety,” he said. He said he held meeting with the leaders of the community on Monday to sensitise them on the essence of the evacuation and to solicit their cooperation.
“We’ve met the community leaders and the people since yesterday to solicit their cooperation,” he explained.
Sources said about 15 trucks were evacuating dozens of residents from Sabon Gari shortly before noon yesterday in same way military evacuated people from Jankana late March.
Security sources said the volatile Sabon Gari harbour scores of Boko Haram insurgents. More than five soldiers were killed in the town when Boko Haram attacked a military base late April. Sabon Gari is about 32 kilometres to Damboa, headquarters of Damboa Local Government Area, 87 kilometres south of Maiduguri.