Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said that reports of Boko
Haram fighters coming out of their trenches to surrender to Nigerian troops is
a welcome development and should be encouraged.
Lawan stated this in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at
the Palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El-Kanemi on Monday.
He was in the state, in company of the Yobe State Governor,
Mai Mala Buni, on a condolence visit to the monarch who lost his elder brother
and also to the family of former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Babagana
Kingibe, over the death of his mother-in-law.
The Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, and his
Deputy, Umar Usman Kadafur, were also on ground to play host to the visitors at
Kingibe’s residence as well as the Shehu of Borno’s Palace.
The Senate President seized the opportunity of the
condolence visit to reassure the people in that part of the country that the
Federal Government would continue to work with the state authorities to ensure
restoration of peace and stability in the region.
“We have come to condole you over the death of your elder
brother that occurred recently. May his soul rest in Ajanaah Firdausi.
“This is a loss not only to you, Your Highness but to all of
us. That is why we have deemed it fit and necessary to come and condole with
you, the family and the good people of Borno State.
“I want to take this opportunity to mention that the Federal
government of Nigeria will continue to work with Borno State Government to
ensure that there is restoration of peace and stability in this state and in
this part of the country.
“The recent surrender by Boko Haram elements is a good development
for the security of this country. Personally, I believe that the Federal
Government must work with the Borno State Government and other states in this
part of the country to ensure that those that have been received are
appropriately processed.
“Those that have no issues to answer are sanitised and taken
back to their communities. Those that may have issues to answer should be taken
through the legal process but we must ensure that we encourage Boko Haram
elements and those they have taken by force to come out to surrender so that
this unnecessary insurgency placed on us comes to an end.
“And I want to assure you, Your Royal Highness, that the
National Assembly and particularly the Senate will work very closely with the
Borno State Government in this respect.
“I believe there is no need for any controversy over what we
need to do with people who surrendered. In any war, in every war, surrender is
the ultimate and if we can achieve it, we should do everything and anything
possible to encourage more and more to come out so that we are able to come to
the end of this unnecessary insurgency that has taken our States back for so
many years in term of development.
“I want to also commend you, Your Royal Highness, for the
leadership and fatherly role you have been given in this state and in this part
of the country and the country at large.
“Your Royal Highness, I want to also commend the Governor of
Borno State, our brother and friend who has shown so much commitment,
dedication and leadership in ensuring that Borno State, as much as possible, is
safe and the people of this state are protected from insurgency.
“The Federal Government is devoting so much resources for
our security agencies to fight and bring insecurity to an end. Recently, the
National Assembly approved over 800 billion naira for our security agencies in
a supplementary budget and Mr President has assured us that he will bring more
requests for more resources for our security agencies in 2022 appropriation
bill which may be presented at the end of September by the Grace of God.
“We pray to Almighty God to continue to guide our leaders at
all levels, to protect our leaders at all levels and of course, to protect the
people of this country,” Lawan said.
Responding, the Shehu of Borno said his people had
“seriously suffered as a result of Boko Haram crisis.” but added that they were
“lucky” to have the Buhari Government which eventually changed the tide.
The monarch said all the local government Areas which were
under the control of Boko Haram had been taken back and that normal business
activities had returned.
He said the news that Boko Haram elements are surrendering
“is a welcome development” because “Borno is a home of peace and we are for
peace.”
The Senate President and Yobe Governor were both accompanied
on the trip by Senator Sadiq Umar Suleiman, Chief of Staff to the Senate
President, Dr. Babagana M. Aji, Permanent Secretary(Yobe State), Ambassador
Zanna Aliyu Ibrahim and Ambassador Babagana Ajimi who is the Chairman, Board of
Directors, Federal Neuro Psychiatry Hospital, Kaduna.
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