Insurgency: Borno Governor, Shettima Confirms Elections Will Be Conducted In N'East Nigeria

 

Borno State Governor,Kashim Shettima, has said that the 2015 general elections must hold in the north eastern part of Nigeria despite the security threats on the people, Channels reports.

 

That is the outcome of an emergency security meeting which took place in Abuja on Tuesday between President Goodluck Jonathan and Security Chiefs.

 

The focus of the meeting was to assess the security situation in the country especially in the north east.

 

The Governor spoke to state house correspondents after the meeting with the President.

 

He said that elections have taken place in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and so many other places where there is terrorism but that the important issue is how to safeguard the lives and property of the people of those areas and recover the lost territories and the abducted Chibok girls.

 

He cried out that several territories like Bama, were now under the territory of the Boko Haram but that with the robust plan by the military the war against insurgency would be worn.

 

At the risk of giving publicity to the Boko Haram leader, Shekau, who he described as a lunatic, the Borno State Governor said that the military has been rising to the challenges.

 

Governor Shettima stressed that no matter what the odds were the Chibok girls would be returned.

 

He had last year decried the poor motivation of the Nigerian military in the fight against Boko Haram, insisting that the military lacked what was required to fight the Boko Haram sect.

 

Withdrawn Troops From Baga

 

For over two hours, they brainstormed while reporters waited to be briefed of the outcome of the meeting.

 

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh told reporters that Niger and Chad had withdrawn their troops from Baga in Borno State, a major contention spot for the Boko Haram terrorist group.

 

He, however, said that the countries have not pulled out of the multinational Joint Task Force contingent fighting the terrorist group in the north-east.

 

The defence chief assured Nigerians that the military would overcome the insurgents at all cost.

 

“I wish it could be closed. But how do you close such a large border? And it is not for military to close border anyway,” he said, emphasising that more collaboration with the security agencies of the border nations should be explored rather than border closure.

 

The army chief may have given needed explanations about the border issues, but many Nigerians want to know how safe it is to conduct elections in the north-east.

 

Also addressing reporters, Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State, which is another state in the eye of the storm, called for deployment of more troops.

 

The meeting was said to be a fruitful one, with a rich cross-pollination of ideas many Nigerians hope will indeed bring a lasting solution to insurgency bedevilling the nation.

 

It is barely a month before the commencement of the general elections in Nigeria and with the palpable insecurity in the north east, many Nigerians would want to know what the Federal Government is doing to secure lives and property in the region.

 

Source: Channels