Just In...

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Boko Haram: Family Of 7 Set Ablaze...All Came Out Unhurt

According to Adindu, he was in the room with his children that fateful day when his wife ran in crying that the state capital was on fire and that people were running helter-skelter.
"I decided to stay in with my family amid the confusion because I thought it was the best thing to do at that time in order to avoid stray bullets. I started hearing gunshots and the sound of the bomb blast increased until I discovered that nearby churches were being attacked with heavy guns. I heard the first blast around the NNPC Mega Filling Station before those of the churches around 6:30pm.

HOW WE ESCAPED

Adindu explained that he told his wife and children, all of them seven in number, to lie on the floor. Not long after, he had a bang on the gate of his compound. He said the gate was destroyed with gunshots and through his window he saw some persons pour petrol on the roof of the house and then set it on fire.
"When the heat of the fire became intense and I discovered that the people were still around, I told all of them to bear it until the roof started falling with fire. Everywhere was filled with smoke such that I could no longer see. But we remained like that hoping for a miracle. My instinct told me that they had left and I came out with my wife and children and other boys that worked with me. It is a miracle that we survived it. When we came out, we ran to a neighbour's compound and stayed there till 11:30pm before I called a friend and we ran into his house for the night.
"My little children have never seen such horror. It is not good for their age. I pray that such will not happen again."

WHAT I LOST


Adindu said he could not quantify all he lost. "I lost some good friends that were killed. I lost my children's birthday pictures, documents and my wife's certificates. I lost my house, which I laboured to build as well as the N485,000 from sales that I was supposed to deposit at the bank for Coca Cola."
He said he had lived in Damaturu for 19 years and considered the place his home hence he gave birth to all his children in Yobe.
"Now I have lost everything, but I thank God for the lives of members of my family."


WHAT THE GOVERMENT SHOULD DO


"I think the government needs to take a critical look on areas of grievances to quickly address them if it wants Nigeria to remain the way it was those days. Many people have left the state and it is not good because it will affect national unity. Government should compensate families of victims of this unfortunate incident and all those who lost their property should be assisted. Look at me, I don't have anything again. All the members of my family have gone back to the village.
"Enough security arrangement should be put in place to allay people's fear, because the experience was a terrible one even for little children that know nothing."


Boko Haram should show mercy
"I don't think I have offended anybody to suffer this. I am appealing to Boko Haram consider the joy and happiness of living together as one."
He called on the government to bring the Boko Haram sect to a roundtable.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Shop Online From The Comfort Of Your Home Or Office By Clicking On This Banner

Welcome To Obehi Okoawo's Blog...We Love To Hear From You In The Comment Box Above, Thanks