I am determined to sustain our emerging peace, even if it means losing my life, Gov. Shettima tells detractors

BY ABDULLAHI ISAH, MAIDUGURI

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has said he is ready and determined to sacrifice his life to ensure the sustenance of the emerging peace in the state.

Governor Shettima who disclosed this when the Director General Of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mallam Yakubu Ibn Muhammad paid him a courtesy call at the Government House Maiduguri said “some politicians who left the state at the height of the insurgency are now coming back to foment trouble. I am determined to sustain the emerging peace, even if it means losing my life.”

The governor said “some hooligans are coming to distract us from the emerging peace we are now enjoying. We will not allow them. We will fight back. Borno is now moving from the phase of violence to the new phase of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement, hence we need the support of NTA to show our efforts to the world”.

He said the state government is making efforts to re-build Bama, Gwoza, Gamboru, Damaseik and Daboa, stressing that the reconstruction in Bama is now at 70 percent stage of completion.

Shettima stated that the state government is still determine to close the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps by latest May 29 2017 to enable the people to go back home, pointing out that he does not want what happened in the Dare Refugee camp in Northern Kenya, where prostitution, gangsterism and all sorts of crime were committed.

He said education is the keystone of Borno renascence; as such education will form the driving force of the state’s development and by extension Northern Nigeria, adding that in the coming weeks and months they will transform the state.

He said the state government is ready to partner and support the NTA to carry out its functions optimally, stressing that he just approved the sum of over N29 million for the construction of perimeter fence for NTA Maiduguri and the sum of N17.5million for the purchase of UPS for the station.

Speaking earlier, Mallam Muhammad commended Governor Shettima`s developmental strides in the state despite the Boko Haram insurgency.

He also said that the NTA is ready to partner with the state government in the on-going reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement and reconciliation with a view to update Nigerians on the happenings in the state.