TheCable

Ahmadu Jaha, a member of the house of representatives from Borno state, says Boko Haram is occupying eight out of the 10 local government areas in the northern part of the state.

The lawmaker, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and represents Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok federal constituency, said this during the plenary session of the house on Tuesday.

Jaha, who was contributing to a motion on the need for special funding for security agencies, said the war against Boko Haram has not been transparent.

While decrying the rising insurgency in the north-east, the lawmaker said parts of Borno have come under intense attacks by the insurgents.

“(A) number of geographical locations in Borno state and other insurgency-related areas are under the occupation of Boko Haram,” he said.

“Let us take for instance, in a local government that has 13 electoral wards like my own Gwoza, only three or four are not under the occupation of Boko Haram.

“In Chibok, I have 10 electoral wards, only two are not under the occupation of Boko Haram. In Damboa, I have 10 electoral wards, only one is not under the occupation of Boko Haram. This is as far as Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza federal constituency is concerned.

“The same thing… the chief whip to the house can bear me witness, out of the 10 local governments in northern Borno, only two local governments and it is only their headquarters, are still not under the occupation of Boko Haram.”

Sagir Musa, spokesman of the Nigerian army, did not immediately respond to enquires on Jaha’s comment which is coming amid claims by the federal government and the military that Boko Haram has been degraded and does not hold any territory in the north-east.

Below is a video of the lawmaker’s speech: