Borno Gov Outlines Strategies to Win Insurgency War …Declares Monday for fasting, prayers

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has said the nation is not ready to win the ongoing war against insurgency, insisting that you cannot fight this war without manpower, technology and proper funding.

Zulum has also declared February 24, 2020, for statewide fasting and prayers to combine with an intensified offensive by the Nigeria' military and volunteer forces against Boko Haram insurgents. 

The governor made this observation on Wednesday while playing host to the House of Representatives' Committee on Defence led by its chairman, Hon. Babajimi Benson.

Zulum, who said he would always admit the fact that the Buhari administration did so much to degrading Boko Haram when he came to power in 2015, argued that the situation has already degenerated and the insurgency has continued to attack the state.

According to him, "I have always admitted that the federal government has done well under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari. At a time about 20 local government areas were displaced but after May 29, 2015 almost all the roads were opened and the local government retrieved.

"But notwithstanding the gains that we had, between March 2019 till date we have experienced horrific and simultaneous attacks throughout the state. As I told the Theatre Commander we are experiencing the attacks in a quick geometrical ratio."

He said: "I therefore plead with Mr. President and as well as the Nigerian military to revisit the strategy used during 2016/2017 that we were almost celebrating the demise of Boko Haram so that we can deal with the insurgents one and for all.

"One important thing that we have to do is to take the fight into their enclaves. The whereabouts of the Boko Haram is known to all of us. It is known to the people of Borno State, it is known to the military. It is known to all of us.

"Another important thing that I raised is the issue of commercial activities, there is nexus between peace, security and development, there is nexus between poverty, unemployment and insecurity and in order to address causes of insurgency we need to address our major challenges. And one thing I plead with the Nigerian military is to allow for free flow of commercial activities in Borno, this will reduce recruitment, fortunately enough the chief of army staff has lifted the ban on sales of fish and fish farming in Borno State, we have conveyed the message to the fish farmers."

He added that: "Then coming down to the challenges of the Nigerian military, I think the theatre commander can inform you better, but to the best of my knowledge there is major deficiency is manpower, they lack manpower, Borno state has a large landmass and therefore they need manpower, they need technological warfare, they need logistics. You cannot fight this insurgency to an end without technology and without manpower and without funding, this is very germane.

"Take my words they don't have the manpower, they don't have the equipment, adding that military operation has to use stabilization mechanism, explaining that by stabilization mechanism the military should ensure that during military activities there should be stabilization effort on ground.

He added that to ensure this, you need manpower to hold a place, "without manpower you cannot hold a place, without people going about their normal activities, going to their farms peace cannot reign.

 

"We have over 500,000 IDPs in Monguno, 120,000 IDPs in the Republic of Niger, we have 68,000 IDPs in the Republic of Cameroon that are eager to come back home and even in Dikwa how many IDPs do we have that have limited access to their farms. This issue will not stop until people have access to their farms.

"And honestly speaking we need to increase the firepower of the police to augment the military as well as the Civil Defence Corps because of their importance."

He noted that the paramilitary, police and others have to be allowed to carry sophisticated arms, "I think there is the need to allow for certain guns to be used by the paramilitary for certain period of time. After the insurgency is over you can now go back to the old position."

He told the lawmakers to "kindly advise the Speaker and the Senate President to tell Mr. President to approve the massive recruitment of soldiers. We need about 100,000 more to be recruited into the Nigerian Army. They should come and employ the locals whether they have the western education or not.

Meanwhile,  Zulum has declared Monday, February 24, 2020 for statewide fasting and prayers to combine with intensified offensive by Nigeria' military and volunteer forces against boko haram insurgents. 

Zulum made the declaration  in a six-minute broadcast to the people of Borno State. He however said there will be no public holiday on the coming Monday.

The Governor after enumerating ongoing collaboration with the military, mass recruitment, equipping and deployment of thousands of volunteers in the Civilian JTF, hunters and vigilantes, said his call for prayers was a strange but necessary decision made based on popular wish of Borno people.

"Even though this decision is based on the popular demand of our people,  some observers may rightly argue that it is a strange call. But then, Borno has been befallen with a strange evil since 2009, and sometimes, strange ailments require strange approaches.

As your Governor, I hereby declare Monday the 24th of February 2020 as a day of devotion to pray for the return of peace in Borno. I intend to fast on that day and I appeal to every one of us in Borno, who can, to join in that simple, but pricelessly rewarding spiritual endeavour. I also appeal for the sacrifices of all other well-meaning friends and associates of Borno who can, to join us in fasting on Monday, insha'Allah, for the restoration of peace in Borno State and rest of Nigeria.