TheCable

Kyari Ibn El-Kanemi, shehu of Bama, says residents of Bama community in Borno state, celebrated Sallah for the first time in five years as a result of the defeat of Boko Haram insurgents in the area.

He expressed joy after his people marked this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration in his domain, on Monday.

“Today we are celebrating Sallah in Bama which we were not privileged to celebrate for the past five years,” he said.

“Indeed we have to be grateful to Allah SWT for sparing our lives. We are happy to live up to this moment to grace this Sallah celebration in Bama.”

In 2014, Boko Haram insurgents overran the town, forcing natives and other inhabitants to flee their homes.

El-Kanemi was among the victims, as his wife and daughter were abducted in 2014 and released two years after.

The town was later captured by the military.

The monarch, alongside his counterpart from Dikwa, Masa II Ibn Umar El Kanemi, fled their communities to reside in Maiduguri.

He returned in July in company of local government staff and primary school teachers and troops of Operation Lafiya Dole who regained the town from Boko Haram insurgents.

There was also a mass prayer on Sunday for the first time in a long while, led by the monarch himself.

The United Nations had revealed that Boko Haram insurgents have killed over 27,000 civilians since 2009 when the sect launched a campaign of violence.

Editor’s note: This picture was used for illustrative purposes