INSECURITY: Zulum Expresses dissapointment with Army
The Governor of Borno State in Nigeria, Professor Babagana Zulum has expressed anger and disappointment over what he described as the routine attacks of travellers and villagers by Boko Haram along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
He said this in a statement on Monday titled, ‘Friday abductions: Zulum visits Jakana, furious over routine attacks on Maiduguri-Damaturu highway …Baffled with army’s failure to secure 20 kilometers’.
The statement quoted the governor as saying, “I have had occasions to defend the Nigerian military in order to boost the morale of commanders and their troops at the front lines because I know the true picture of things, however, I am really disappointed that despite all support from both the federal government and from us in Borno state, our military is failing to secure an area of 20 kilometers, which is the distance between Auno and Jakana.
“And incidentally, the majority of Boko Haram’s attacks along this Maiduguri-Damaturu-Kano road, keeps happening between Auno and Jakana. So, if the military cannot secure 20 kilometers, how can they keep us with the hope they will defeat the Boko Haram?”
The governor also berated the army and the state’s rapid response squad for “lack of visibility” along the Maiduguri-Damaturu road.
“With all you (journalists) we drove from Maiduguri to here, Jakana. We did not see soldiers on the road, we did not see even our own rapid response squad on this road and they were trained, employed, kitted, and paid to protect all Nigerians within their areas of operation and these Nigerians include travelers plying this busy and important road,” the governor noted.
He recalled that this year alone, the insurgents carried out many attacks along Maiduguri-Damaturu-Kano road, including the one in February, in which over 30 persons, including a nursing mother and an infant, were burnt to death.
(News Breakng)
