Boko Haram: At A Meeting With COAS, Zulum Says ‘The Worst Is Over’
By Bukar BOLORI
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum while acknowledging the recent surge in attacks of Boko Haram, declared that the worst stage of the siege of the terrorist group was over.
Zulum made the statement on Wednesday during a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Shuaibu Waidi, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Zulum, in his remarks at the meeting, explained his verdict by reflecting on the more escalated security situation the state had previously endured.
He stated that compared to the peak of the crisis years ago, the current security landscape, despite recent setbacks, shows significant improvement.
Zulum, who also called on the people of Borno State to continue offering their necessary cooperation and support to the military and other security agencies in the ongoing war against insurgency, insisted that the war against terrorism requires a collective effort and urged residents of the state to be vigilant and provide timely intelligence to security operatives to prevent attacks and ensure a lasting return to peace in the state.
He said: “Yes, we have witnessed a series of attacks on our communities and the security forces, but the worst is over; we shall continue to collaborate and provide the needed intelligence to our security forces to bring this madness to an end.”
He added that: “The frequency and scale of attacks on our communities then were overwhelming. Today, while we grieve any single setback, we can also see that the worst is indeed behind us. The trajectory is towards peace, and we are committed to sustaining it.”
The governor commiserated with the Nigerian Army over the recent tactical setbacks across the theatre, even as he praised the sacrifice and bravery of the officers and soldiers, describing them as heroes who, in some cases, pay the ultimate price for the nation’s security.
He said: “On behalf of the government and people of Borno State, I wish to reiterate that we stand with the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces. We will not take their sacrifice for granted.”
Also speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Shuaibu Waidi, while giving the assurance of the Army headquarters to provide necessary logistics to the troops, commended Governor Zulum for his support to the armed forces.
He said: “I want to most sincerely, on behalf of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, extend our appreciation to His Excellency for visiting us at a time like this. We appreciate your support in Borno.”
He added that: “We have confidence in our society here in the theatre and from the Army headquarters, we will provide all the necessary resources needed to ensure they achieve their mission.”
The meeting was attended by the Acting Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar, Special Adviser on Security, Brigadier General Abdullaho Ishaq (Rtd) and other senior government officials.
