Kashim Shettima, governor of
Borno state, broke down in tears before President Muhammadu Buhari over the
setbacks being recorded in the Boko Haram war in his state.
This happened in Abuja on Monday,
as the governor met the president at the Council Chambers of the Presidential
Villa, in the company of the country’s key defence officers.
Shettima, who led leaders of the
state to Buhari to seek an audience with the president, said in his
introductory remarks that they expected Buhari’s coming as commander in chief
to end the onslaught of the terrorists.
“Between 2013 and 2014, we
witnessed the most daring and most viscious evil of the Boko Haram, losing 20
Local Government Areas,” Shettima said.
“However, we rushed here because
of the recent upsurge in the activities of the demented monster called Boko
Haram especially in northern Borno senatorial district. We are here because
since 2015, Mr. President, you were able to restore our hope.
“Sir, you have demonstrated
empathy for Borno and the overriding commitment to ending the Boko Haram. This
is why we rushed here on witnessing some setback.
“We are here because we thought
that Allah will use you to fully reclaim Borno traditional glory of being the
home of peace. We are here as a people who worked, prayed and waited for your Presidency
in the firm belief that with you as the Commander In Chief, Boko Haram will
become history in Borno.”
The meeting had in attendance
Babagana Monguno, National Security
Adviser; Gabriel Olonisakin, chief of defence staff; Ahmed Abubakar, acting director-general
of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA);
and Yussuf Bitchi, the director general of Department for State Services
(DSS).
Shettima told the President that
the leaders came to present a set of observations and specific requests from an
extraordinary security meeting held a week ago in Borno State, which will
require urgent presidential intervention.
Shettima amidst tears over the
current setback in the fight against insurgency, told Buhari that the leaders
have not lost hope in his ability to win the war and restore peace to the
state.
He said the people have not lost
all hope in the president’s ability to put an end to the insurgency in the
northeast.
“Mr. President, we have not, and
Insha Allah, we will not lose hope in you because we have witnessed and
survived worse moments before you came. We do not feel hopeless. Our hopes are
very much alive and they are very high.
“We came with some observation and
10 requests for urgent presidential intervention. These observations and
requests are products of discussion in the aftermath of our extra-ordinary
security meeting held one week ago.
“We didn’t rush to come after the
meeting. We felt the need to travel to northern Borno, interact with displaced
persons and the military so as to strengthen public confidence.
“I will seek the understanding of
the journalists by not making public any of our observation and 10 requests.
They are matters of security which we hope to discuss with Mr. President in a
close door.”
His unexpected outburst promptly
led to members of the press being excused from the meeting.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com