Boko Haram: Borno Gov Defends Deployment of 150 Cameroonian Vigilante

Criticisms of the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara's recruitment of 150 Cameroonian vigilantes are mere ignorance, the governor's spokesman, Isa Gusau, has hit back at critics. 

A statement signed by the governor's spokesman on Sunday picked out President, Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria (AISSON), Dr. Ona Ekhomu, criticism of the state governor’s deployment of Cameroonian vigilante as an action that showed ignorance of current security issues in the Lake Chad Basin. 

The Lake Chad Basin and parts of North-east region has been battling with Boko Haram insurgency for a decade now. 

The protracted crisis led the governor to recently recruit vigilantes from across northern Nigeria and from neighbouring Cameroon. 

This drew the ire of many persons, including Ekhomu. 

In a reaction from the state governor, according to his spokesman, "It was for his ignorance of current security cooperation among states within the Lake Chad region that Ekhomu‎, President of AISSON issued a statement criticising the state Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, for equipping 150 Cameroonian vigilantes who have joined the fight against Boko Haram in northern part of Borno State, in the shores of the Lake Chad."

Gusau added: "I have read reports in at least five newspapers credited to my elder brother, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, who said with emphasis that Governor Zulum acted illegally by equipping 150 Cameroonian vigilantes to join the fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria. He even said the governor's decision was a huge mistake in disregard for the Nigerian Army and Nigeria’s sovereignty. 

"I say with no intent to disrespect Ekhomu that his statements were based on complete ignorance. First of all, the governor's operational arrangements with the 150 Cameroonian vigilantes ‎happened with full involvement of the Nigerian army's component in the multinational joint task force currently fighting the Boko Haram in eight regions affected by the terrorists’ attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic. 

"In fact, it was at the headquarters of 5 Brigade of Nigerian army in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area in Borno State that officials of the state government presented patrol vehicles and other logistics to the Cameroonians last week."

He added that "pictures of the events were released to the media, and I am surprised that Ekhomu didn't make effort to get these facts before issuing statements to criticise this hopeful productive counter terrorism effort."

“ The Cameroonian vigilantes are operating in parts of northern Borno located in the shores of the Lake Chad and they are operating under the coordination and command of the Nigerian army component of the multinational task force.

“ One of the key benefits of having these vigilantes is the latitude to generate and pass on intelligence from border communities in Cameroon and to also pursue insurgents who occasionally flee from Nigerian territories to border communities in Cameroon where Nigerian troops may be constrained to engage them."

The spokesman explained that in addition to the full involvement of the Nigerian army on the 150 Cameroonian vigilantes, the governor is member of the Lake Chad Governors Forum in which ‎"Governors of eight regions of the Lake Chad Basin affected by Boko Haram insurgency are involved in cross-border cooperation on security. 

He said:" That Lake Chad Governors Forum (to which Governors of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa States and their counterparts in five regions of Cameroon, Chad and Niger are members) was established with the involvement of the United Nations Security Council's committee on counter terrorism and the federal government of all the countries.

“The forum's first meeting took place in Maiduguri in May 2018 and the second meeting held in Niamey, Niger Republic around July 2019. The main objective of that forum is to ease cross border cooperation in the fight against Boko Haram in the affected countries."

"Therefore, I am surprised that Ekhomu, who is a security consultant, is not aware of all these measures put in place in the determined effort to deploy new approaches of fighting the Boko Haram."

He, however, advised persons who wants to ‎speak to the media on security issues to take time to research on subject matters and get the facts before rushing to the press.