narrowly escaped death on Tuesday
when his convoy was attacked by
suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Suswam's convoy was on its way to
Gbajimba in Guma Local Government
Area of the state when the incident
occurred.
According to the News Agency of
Nigeria, the governor was on a fact
finding mission following the continuous
invasion of many communities on the
Daudu-Gbajimba road by herders.
NAN which did not provide detailed
information about another attack on
Tse-Akenyi, reported that there was
about an hour exchange of gunfire
between the bandits and Suswam's
security aides.
Suswam, who confirmed the incident,
told the victims of the attack in
Gbajimba, that the situation was
disturbing.
He added that people must defend
themselves if security operatives failed
to do their job.
The governor said, "I salute each and
every one of you for your courage and
steadfastness throughout this period.
This is beyond the herdsmen; this is a
real war.
"On my way to this place, they
exchanged gunfire with us for over one
hour before we were able to get here.
"My people are being butchered and
their homes destroyed. So, if the
security agents, especially the military,
cannot provide security for us, we will
have to defend ourselves.
"I cannot abandon you people at this
point in time to die. You voted me to
provide security for you and that I must
do for you.
"These Fulani are not like the real
Fulanis we used to know. Please return
to your homes and defend your land. Do
not allow anybody to make you slaves in
your home land. ''
The Guma LGA Chairman, Mr. Frank
Adi, condemned the killings and
destruction of homes by the
herdsmen.
Adi, who was represented by his
deputy, Mr Godwin Viashima, appealed
to the government to provide them
with security operatives.
When contacted, Suswam's Director of
Press, Dr. Cletus Akwaya, said the
attackers killed some people in the
sacked villages.
He said "His Excellency went to the
crisis area to look at the level of
destruction when he was attacked.
Schools in this area have been closed
down since the crisis started in 2011.
"The marauders sacked the villages and
some of the schools are now being
occupied by their cows. They sacked
villages in Gwer, Guma-West. Some
bodies were recovered from some of
these areas without bullet wounds."
Akwaya added that government
officials suspected that the invaders
were insurgents who moved into
Nigeria from Mali.
He said, "There are suspicions that the
marauders may have used chemical
weapons. They may be people who
moved from Libya to Mali and they are
here now.
"What they are doing in the North-East
is what they are trying to bring to the
North-Central states of Benue, Plateau
and Nassarawa . It is not what the state
government alone can handle."
He, however, said there was no casualty
among members of the governor's
convoy.
Meanwhile, suspected members of
Boko Haram have attacked the convoy
of Gwoza LGA Chairman, Hamman
Ahmadu, destroying two vehicles and
leaving three policemen and two drivers
missing.
It was learnt that Ahmadu and his
convoy ran into a siege laid by the sect
members near a bridge on the Bama-
Gwoza Road at about 4.35pm on
Monday.
Narrating the incident to journalists on
Tuesday, Mallam Baba, a driver attached
to Borno State Government House in
Maiduguri, said, "On reaching the
bridge, after returning from Gwoza, and
Barawa on an official visit, we were
surrounded by several gunmen at the
destroyed Firgi Bridge.
"They shot from all directions and
that made three drivers to reverse and
escape. Two other vehicles, including
my Toyota Hilux, were abandoned. I
had to crawl for about 300 metres to
escape from the insurgents."
Asked to give the number of people
killed, Baba said, "It is only God that
saved our lives yesterday evening
(Monday), including the council
chairman.
Three policemen and two other drivers
are missing."
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