Appointment of Borno indigenes as service chiefs to end B’Haram, says Shettima

GOVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State has described the appointment of two citizens of the state as Security Chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari as one of the happiest moments in his life-time, saying that the fight to end Boko Haram insurgency “is now or never” because with the duo, Nigeria now has the best of chances to overcome the six-year challenges of insecurity in the North-East and the country at large.

Shettima, who spoke while addressing members of the Nigerian Foundation for the Support of Victims of Terrorism (NFSVT) when they paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Maiduguri, said that Buhari’s choice of Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) and Maj.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd) as National Security Adviser (NSA) and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) respectively was a classic case of putting square pegs into square holes because both men have been given the mandate of liberating their state which is the epicentre of Boko Haram activities while they also possess ancestral knowledge of Borno terrains in addition to being direct victims of insurgency attacks with many of their relatives killed and their towns and villages destroyed in the incessant attacks and bombings.

His words: “Yesterday was the happiest moment of my life. President Muhammadu Buhari made a strong statement by his decision to appoint two highly-competent sons of Borno to the offices of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Army Staff.

“I think his strategy was to get people with ancestral knowledge of the Borno terrain. Maj.-Gen. Buratai is even a direct victim of Boko Haram attacks. He lost family members when his residence was attacked earlier this year in Buratai, a town in Biu Local Council. Monguno was destroyed and once occupied by Boko Haram and that is where the new NSA, Maj.- Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) hails from.”

Shettima further said: “In fact, a key family member of Gen. Monguno is still being held captive by Boko Haram insurgents. These two Generals are from Borno; they know exactly where it pinches and most importantly, they understand the terrain and can easily connect with communities to get local support. Added to them is also the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sadique Abubakar who hails from Bauchi also in the North-East. AVM Abubakar has spent many of his formative years in military here in Borno State. He has spent over 10 years in Borno; he knows the terrain very well and connects with the people.

“I think for us, it is now or never because the President has generously put sons of Borno and the North-East to lead the battle for the freedom of Borno, the region and rest of Nigeria from the murderous threats of insurgents. Insha Allah, with the combined efforts of other competent service chiefs and all Nigerians, the war on terror will soon be won by the supremacy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The governor, therefore, called on all Nigerians to support President Buhari, whom he said, has left no one in doubts about his consistent commitment to end Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed many lives and property in the North-East sub-region of the country.