How Boko Haram killed 100 chiefs in Borno state

– The Shehu of Borno  Alhaji Umaru Ibn Garbai Elkanemi says he lost over 100 of his local chiefs to Boko Haram insurgents

– Alhaji Elkanemi says it is a rigorous task to have the people live together with repentant Boko Haram insurgents

– Elkanemi says it will take a great effort to unite the people and those who plagued them for too long

Alhaji Umaru Ibn Garbai Elkanemi said he lost over 100 of his local chiefs to Boko Haram insurgents within the seven years of their insurgency.

The Shehu of Borno also said that it will be a huge task for people to live together with the repentant Boko Haram insurgents after the atrocities they committed against the people of Borno.

According to Leadership, the royal father stated this when the delegation of African Region Centre For Humanitarian Dialogue ( CMD), led by its director , Ms Meridith Preston Mcghie paid a visit to his palace.

“How can you unite with people that destroyed your homes, killed and displaced you? We have suffered a lot. I lost more than 100 local chiefs under my kingdoms. I was attacked by suicide bomber, thousands of women became widows and children orphans. I think, to unite people with repentant insurgents is a big task,” Shehu told the delegation of Centre For Humanitarian Dialogue in Maiduguri yesterday, October 10.

The royal father used the opportunity to seek for assistance of the delegation to do everything possible to unite the people as it had done in two inter-communal dialogue in Plateau and Kaduna states.

“We need your assistance to reunite our people again, we as well know what you did in Kaduna and Plateau to solve inter- communal crisis. We will give you all the support to succeed,” said the monarch.

Earlier, the director, African Region Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Ms. Meridith Preston McGhie  disclosed that, CHD, is an independent international organization with the mandate of providing support, directly facilitate peace process, initiate dialogue between parties to conflict and are ready to talk to one another especially now that the IDPs and victims of insurgency have started returning to their original homes.

“The delegation will ensure proper communication so that things do not go out of control, emotions don’t get so high, the centre will adopt different channels of dialogue which will be a gradual process and usually takes longer period of time before peace is achieved in a crisis environment,” she said.

Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima yesterday averred that the entire North East would have been completely wiped out from the surface of the earth by the activities of Boko Haram if not for the timely intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari  who saved the situation, describing him as the saviour of the north east.

Governor Shettima who stated this in his remarks at the opening ceremony of a 2- day summit organized by Northern Elders Forum(NEF) in Kaduna also reiterated that the country can never be divided, adding that we need to unite as a people.

He described as the greatest tragedy that befell the country the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, stressing that the administration did all it could to divide the country on religious and ethnic grounds.

Governor Shettima who is the Chairman Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) said poverty and unemployment are responsible for the activities of Boko Haram, cattle rustlers, kidnapping and other criminal activities, stressing that creation of job is a major measure to address the menace.

“President Buhari is our saviour in North east, his coming saw to the degradation of the Boko Haram sect even though they are not yet completely eliminated,” he stated.

On the devastated areas in Borno State, Governor Shettima said, “we are doing all it takes to rebuild Borno State, and efforts is also in top gear to close down all Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) latest by 29th May, 2017.”

He said theactivities of insurgency has left no fewer than 50,000 widows while that of infants is unimaginable.

To control the present social vices among the youths, he said, efforts should be made to enroll more children in schools with a view of educating them as better future leaders in the country.

He further stressed that there was the need for job creation through improved agricultural technics, small scale businesses and gender empowerment by giving the youths a sense of belonging in all spheres of life.

Governor Shettima stressed the need for unity in the region as the only way to come out of the present predicament the region has found itself, pointing out that efforts should be made to restore the glory of the North.

To enhance the unity of the region, he explained that the meeting of the Northern Governors Forum would be rotated in all the states of the region, adding that the next meeting of the forum would take place in Plateau State while urging the Northern Elders to hold their next summit in Benue state.