Borno Governor to Burantai; Leave Ondo elections face Boko Haram war

The Governor of Borno state, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has charged the military to concentrate on the fight against Boko Haram insurgency instead of the forthcoming Ondo State Governorship election.

Zulum said this on Tuesday, in reaction to the speech of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, at the opening of the combined Chief of Army Staff Quarterly Conference in Maiduguri, Borno State, where he praised the Officers and Men of the Nigerian Army for the professionalism exhibited in the Edo State governorship poll and charging them to do same in Ondo State on Saturday.

The Governor said, “When the Chief of Army Staff talked about the success story of Edo election and forthcoming Ondo poll, I was a bit scared because I want the attention of the military to be in the forefront fighting the insurgency.”

Zulum, however, lauded the military for collaborating with the state government to return Internally Displaced Persons back to their ancestral homes.

According to the Governor, the successes recorded by Operation Lafiya Dole has brought about relative peace in the state and aided in the safe return of the IDPs.

The Governor pledged his administration’s continued support to military operations in the state through the provision of all the needed moral and material resources.

Zulum also stressed the need for the military to intensify the onslaught against the insurgents for an end to the crisis.

He said: “I want you to change the war narrative all together, to finish the crisis, attack, they say, is the best form of defence.”

“The Nigerian Army must therefore take the war to all the hideouts of the Boko Haram insurgents and should not wait and give the insurgents the opportunity of attacking first.”