No Borno local govt. under Boko Haram occupation – Gov. Shettima; Releases N100 million for rebuilding Dalori villages
BY ABDULLAHI ISAH, MAIDUGURI
The Borno state Governor, Hon. Kashim Shettima, has debunked media reports credited to Senator Kaka Bashir Garbai that Borno local government areas were equally shared between Boko Haram and the military.
The Governor, while speaking with newsmen shortly after arriving the state from a trip to Saudi Arabia, where he led a delegation of some northern Governors to the Islamic Development Bank, said Senator Garbai may have either been misquoted or spoke out of emotional outburst.
Shettima, while insisting that none of the Local government areas in the state are being occupied by the insurgents said: “I am authoritatively speaking to you as the Chief Security Officer of the state, no local government area in the state is under Boko Haram occupation.
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“As Chief Security Officer of Borno state, I am telling you authoritatively that our military deserves commendation, because all my local government areas have been liberated, only few insurgents that remain in the Sambisa forest are desperate to launch some pockets of attacks as a result of the bombardment that is going on in their hideouts.
“May be, Senator Garbai’s statement he gave to the media was done out of his emotions when he visited the affected areas or he was misquoted. I have been trying to make contact with the Senator on this unfortunate statement,” Shettima stated while stressing that the Nigerian troops deserved commendation.
He said that the military and other security operatives under ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’ have been doing their best in the last six months, as the terrorists’ capacity has been degraded with only pockets of them existing in the Sambisa Forest.
It would be recalled that the Senator representing Borno Central, Senator Kaka Garbai, who visited Dalori, Alomari and other villages at the outskirts of Maiduguri that were sacked by insurgents leaving scores dead, informed journalists that ” the military are not doing their best to end the war against terrorists, as only Maiduguri, Bayo and Kwaya Kusar council areas were safe and free of insurgents, while 21 of the council areas were partially controlled by terrorists with three others still fully under Boko Haram control.”
The governor, on arrival from his trip, immediately drove straight to Dalori and the other surrounding villages that were attacked by the insurgents last week, where he consoled the victims and prayed Allah to grant Aljanatul Firdaus to those who lost their lives and wished the injured ones quick recovery.
Shettima also immediately constituted a five man committee and assured that he would give them N100 million to commence immediate rebuilding of Dalori and Mairi villages raze down by the insurgents during the attack.
The Committee which is to be headed by the state Deputy Governor, Usman Mamman Durkwa, APC state Chairman Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, retired permanent secretary, Engr. Baba Sanda and two others are to ensure that all the houses destroyed by the insurgents are rebuilt without further delay.
While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for his determination to end the deadly activities of Boko Haram and other terror groups in the country and for his concern for the people of Borno, Shettima said “President Buhari personally called me and condoled with me and the people of the state over the unfortunate incident, apart from the delegation he sent, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir David with three ministers.”
