The governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima has expressed sadness over the news that most of the people arrested for collaborating with the Boko Haram group were members of the Civil-Military Cattle Management Committee he inaugurated in March of this year.
A source, who does not want to be identified, told our correspondent that the governor is waiting for the full report of the investigation of the suspects involved in the rustling business.
“Oga was very furious when that news got to him. In fact, he felt pained that with all his efforts to shut down the finances of Boko Haram, some people are assisting the insurgents in finding ways of financing their activities. But he is waiting for the full report of the investigation,” the source informed.
The Nation recalled that Governor Shettima, on March 4 inaugurated a group, the Civil-Military Cattle Management Committee, with specific objectives after he was convinced that the terrorist were selling cows in the markets to fund their activities.
Shettima at the inauguration said, “In addition to the overall management of the cattle markets, the Committee’s specific terms of reference include the close monitor the activities of the cattle traders and butchers associations to ensure that they operate within the limits of their mandate.
The committee was also expected to device strategies to ascertain the source of all cattle being traded and slaughtered at the cattle markets and to ensure that a mandatory period of three to four days is observed on all cattle sold before they are sent to the slaughter house in order to enable interested parties to inspect them and to certify all cattle traded at the markets to ensure that all pre-set conditions have been met before the cows are slaughtered.
But with the arrest of 30 members of the committee for collaborating with the insurgents, the governor is said to be considering new methods to continue the fight against the Boko Haram sect.
According to reports, the suspects arrested include four soldiers, two policemen and some members of the civilian JTF.