- Insurgents flee from Chad to Borno
Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari thursday in Abuja promised to come up with more decisive and proactive measures aimed at eliminating Boko Haram insurgents.
The president who issued this threat in the State House while receiving the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said total elimination of Boko Haram had become necessary for the attainment of sustainable peace and development in the North-east.
The governor had visited the president over the precarious security situation in the region, particularly following the gallant exploits of the Chadian Army against the terrorists on the shores of Lake Chad last week.
The Chadian Army led by the country’s president had waged a ferocious war against Boko Haram, killing scores of them.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Zulum said the president promised that the federal government would take more decisive steps to get rid of the terrorists.
He said he had visited the president to brief him on Chad Republic’s ongoing military action against Boko Haram and its implications for Nigeria’s national security.
The governor expressed concern that the dislodged terrorists from the Chadian territory might settle in Borno State and consequently exacerbate the already deteriorating security situation.
Chad’s anger against Boko Haram was provoked by the initial killing of almost 100 of its soldiers by the insurgents.
At the meeting yesterday, it was learnt that both Buhari and Zulum critically analysed the development and agreed that it was high time the irresponsible and reckless acts of Boko Haram terrorists were brought to an end.
According to the governor, the imminent consequences of the Chad’s action are disturbing because of the influx of the terrorists from Chad to Borno State since the operation.
He added that there was a need for Nigeria to launch a counter attack to resist the relocation of the insurgents to Nigeria.
“Honestly speaking, we are apprehensive because of the ongoing operations by the Chadians.
“Right now, most of the Boko Haram terrorists are fleeing the shores of Lake Chad, the area from the Chad Republic and they are now coming to the Northern Borno State and to the Southern Borno State and there is need for us to now provide some insurgency counter attacks.
“This is the right time that the government of Nigeria and its leadership do everything possible to support the JTF to be proactive enough to contain the situation to deal with them decisively to see the end of the crisis so that they don’t occupy some other areas in the Northern states,” he said.
The governor also said he briefed Buhari on his administration’s efforts at containing COVID-19 in the state.
