Governor Babagana Zulum has raised the alarm on the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks, lamenting that Marte LGA is now almost under the terrorists’ control.

During a visit to Marte amid resurgent attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on Saturday, Mr Zulum said just one community in the local council was safe.

“Marte Local Government comprises over 300 towns and villages. Now we have only one standing. If we cannot maintain this one, then we will lose the whole local government to the insurgents, which will be very obnoxious, and I think we will not allow this to happen,” Mr Zulum said.

Mr Zulum added, “I am calling on the federal government and the Nigerian Army so that we can put our heads together and hold our ground for this single town in this LGA to remain.”

The governor noted that Marte inhabitants were resettled about four years ago, “but unfortunately, over the last three days, it was ransacked and was displaced again”.

“About 20,000 people left Marte for Dikwa. This huge number is a threat as allowing them to stay in the camp may make most of the younger ones become vulnerable to recruitment by the insurgents,” stated the Borno governor.

Mr Zulum declared a one-day prayer and fasting to combat insecurity in Borno over the weekend.

For years, Boko Haram terrorists have wreaked havoc in the North-East, killing, kidnapping, and displacing many.

The United Nations Development Programme estimated that about 350,000 persons have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents.

According to Human Rights Watch, as of July 2022, the Boko Haram conflict had displaced about 2.2 million people in the Northeast, the vast majority, over 1.8 million, in Borno.

The conflict also displaced over 280,000 refugees from the Northeast into three neighbouring countries—Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.