Bring In Chadian Army To Help In Fight Against Boko Haram, Zulum Appeals To Buhari

• Zulum says situation in the state has become dire

Governor of Borno, Babagana Zulum, says the activities of Insurgents have had a devastating impact on the fortunes of the and crippled it activities.

The governor said this when he played host to some governors in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Wednesday.

In other to end the perennial insecurity in the state, the governor appealed to the federal government to reach out to the Chadian army in the fight against insurgency.

Zulum has been the target of suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacks, his convoy was attacked twice in as many as five days.

The governor said he remained unfazed by the attacks, and would continue to pursue his goals.

“Zulum pleaded with the federal government to ensure that Chadian soldiers are invited to join the Nigeria Army in the fight against insurgency if any meaningful success is to be recorded on the battleground,” Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, spokesman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) quoted Zulum to have said

“Zulum rationalised that no single army anywhere in the world has ever succeeded in quelling insurgency and requested that the government looked into ways of complementing the efforts of the Nigeria Army with the Chadian soldiers, emphasising it is not to undermine the Nigerian soldiers but to help them in finishing the job within a realistic deadline.

“The situation in our State has become very dire because, everything calls for endurance, commitment and dedication if our people were to be drawn out of the woods”

Zulum highlighted impact of insurgency on the economic hotbeds in the state.

“Chad Basin used to employ about 10 million people while the Sambisa Grazing Reserve and the Mandara Mountains used to employ about 3 million people but the insurgents have made these places inaccessible to the people.”

Kayode Fayemi, chairman of NGF who led the delegation, said “an attack against one is an attack against all” while expressing support for the Borno governor.

Fayemi also announced a donation of N100million to the state government.

“Dr Fayemi admonished Prof Zulum to exercise caution in his activities in the state, even though he narrated how the Borno Governor always responded by saying that his life was in the hands of Allah and that death will only come when Allah wills,” the statement read.

“The NGF Chairman announced a donation of one hundred million Naira to the Government and people of Borno State from the NGF before handing the cheque over to the Borno governor.”