The Federal Government has been challenged to probe the manner Boko Haram fighters gained entrance into Garkida in Adamawa state last Friday.
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party(SDP) in the last general election, Chief Emmanuel Bello, said the incident raises security questions that should be investigated.
He said it is difficult to explain how the insurgents got into Garkida, operated for three hours and carried out extensive destruction as if the town was without security protection of any kind.
“As the attack ensued, no reinstatement was sent from neighbouring positions to repel the attack and the security personnel stationed in Garkida were alleged to have withdrawn from their positions just before the attack started,” Bello said in a statement he passed to newsmen in Yola.
The SDP leader, who hails from Garkida and is a former House of Representatives member for the Hong/Gombi federal constituency, reiterated that the February 21, 2020 attack on Garkida should be investigated “with serious intention of unravelling what facilitated the easy passage of the insurgents into Garkida.”
The Boko Haram insurgents had got into Garkida about 7pm last Friday, operated for hours, destroyed churches, private houses, a police barracks and other structures.
The insurgents also forced their way into pharmaceutical shops and the General Hospital in Garkida and looted drugs, confirming the belief now gaining ground that the insurgents entered Garkida mainly to obtain drugs to replenish their stock back at their base around the Sambisa Forest not far from Garkida.
Chief Emmanuel Bello who said the destruction the Boko Haram caused in the Garkida attack was extensive, urged both the Federal Government and the Adamawa State Government to compensate affected residents.