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Tag: borno

  • Bomb blast in Borno again

    A double barrel explosion was heard in the outskirts of Maiduguri, capital of Borno state Saturday evening as residents ran helter-skelter around Bulunkutu Maiduguri town.

    It was not very clear if lives were lost but a military source confirmed that the explosion occurred around Ailari Bintu area behind the 707 housing estate of the state capital.

    It was learnt that the blast may have been possibly by a suicide bomber who has succeeded in penetrating the tight security checks mounted in the town.

    Sources say that the twin-bomb explosion caused panic as several persons were alleged to have been killed when a pick-up van loaded with fire woods suddenly exploded and went into flames.

    The people of the area who spoke to reporters on phone said the pick-up van parked very close to the Bulunkutu commercial area where people gathered to take their dinner of fried akara, roasted and fried fish barbecue.

    It is believed that among those killed were those that besieged the commercial area to buy their dinner and some commuters around the ill fated fire wood vehicle.

    Another source said that the twin explosion shook the entire area as if it was an earthquake while it was believed that another bomb may be planted in the area because the police anti bomb squad was yet to arrive as at the time of this report.

  • Rescuing Borno State

    Rescuing Borno State

    That Borno State is the founding home of the Boko Haram insurgency is no longer news. Muhammed Yusuf, the founder of the sect, was eliminated by unscrupulous security agents in very controversial circumstances after he was captured during a riot in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in 2009. In that mayhem, many people, including scores of security agents, were either killed or maimed. The security agents responded by mowing down whomever they suspected to be a Boko Haram member.

    It was during this melee that Buji Fai, a two-time Chairman of Kaga Local Government of Borno State and former Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Water Resources, was killed. He was captured alive in his farm along Bui – Danboa Road, but was later reported dead in very questionable circumstances. After he was arrested, the former commissioner demanded to meet Ali Modu Sherif, the then state governor. He was taken to the Government House half-naked in handcuffs. Unfortunately for him, Sherif was said to be out of office by the time they got there. The late Buji Fai was later taken to the police headquarters where he was reportedly killed. Mohammed Fugu, a Maiduguri-based businessman, also suffered a similar fate. He was reportedly killed by the police at the police headquarters in Maiduguri after he gave himself up.

    The government of Sherif displayed nonchalance to the killings when its officials later stormed Railway Quarters with bulldozers and demolished Yusuf’s house as well as Fugu’s compound. Dissatisfied with the development, Yusuf’s family went to court, accusing the police of extrajudicial killing of their patriarch. The court gave its judgment asking the Police to pay the sum of N100 million to the family, but the police appealed the verdict. By this time, anger had inflamed passion as the sect members were poised for war. That was how the whole Boko Haram insurgency started as a war between the sect members and security agents on one hand and the sect and government on the other hand.

    Though shortly after Sherif left as governor, the new helmsman, Kashim Shettima, paid the N100 million to Yusuf’s family, the sect members could not be placated as many contending interests had been introduced into the entire imbroglio. Remember that at the inception of the crisis, it was alleged that Boko Haram was a militant wing of the Borno political class under Sherrif. It was under his watch as governor that the sect blossomed. This, probably, accounted for the reason why Fai demanded to see the governor face to face on the day he was arrested on his farm before his life was abruptly terminated. That liquidation was probably to forestall what would have led to a great confession. Perhaps, that confession that never was, could have helped Borno government and indeed the federal government to bring the temerity of the sect members to an early halt. However, rather than abating, the activities of the insurgents have, in the last few months, escalated, particularly in Maiduguri, its traditional founding place, in spite of subsisting State of Emergency now in its ninth month.

    Since the beginning of this month, the sect appeared to be having a field day in their operations despite the presence of military Task Force in the state. Their ceaseless attacks have led to the untimely death of more than 300 people in this month alone. Last week, a terrified Kashim Shettima, the Governor of the state, shuttled back and forth to the State House, Abuja ostensibly to brief President Goodluck Jonathan on the killings. While addressing reporters shortly after, Shettima made it clear that Nigeria is “in a state of war”.  He also said the fight against Boko Haram was far from being won, as the insurgents seem to be more motivated than the Nigerian military.  He warned that the faster Nigerian leaders braced up to the challenge, the better for the country.   But a few hours after Shettima’s outburst, Doyin Okupe, an aide of the President on public affairs, in his usual boisterous manner, countered that the military was better equipped and motivated to fight Boko Haram militants. My take is that Shettima is the man who wears the shoe and so should know better where it pinches.

    At any rate, uncertainty now pervades most of the North-east each day, over fear of possible attack by the sect. The question being asked by many today is: for what use have the huge budgetary provisions made for the armed forces in the fight against the insurgents been put into? This is germane following the seemingly failure of the security agents to tackle the insurgency headlong since all these months that emergency had been in place. Rightly or wrongly, some people have attributed this lacklustre performance by the security forces to high level of corruption in the management of funds budgeted to fight the menace.

    Aside from the issue of up-to-date military hardware, it is believed that the absence of an operational air wing of the Army may have constituted a clog in the wheels of progress in the execution of operations in the affected areas. The fact remains that the Army pilots trained for such operations have largely been idle since they were not being utilised because of the absence of Army Aviation in the country. This has made the Nigerian Army to rely solely on the Air Force for air support in their operations. This, no doubt, may have greatly hampered the operational efficiency of the army in its ongoing combat operations against the insurgents as the Air Force was said to be more or less reluctant to take orders from the Army because of the inter-service rivalry.

    An air wing would make it possible for the Army to plan its operations and execute them speedily without relying solely on the Air Force for such support. There have been instances in the past where soldiers had been endangered when an expected air support was called off at the last minute after troops had advanced into the battlefield, at the Sambisa Forest. This abrupt tinkering with operational plans has often given the insurgents the upper hand as security forces have been easily routed for lack of the desired support. The casualty figures from these operational misdemeanors have been tremendous.

    Besides, the thinking is that there is a sort of political undertone in the insurgency attacks which have recently escalated in line with the body language of Mr. President which suggests that he will soon declare for a second term in office. The attack may be aimed at portraying the President as anemic and incapable of protecting the people in the far North. And the sponsors of the insurgency are believed to be some political gladiators in that part of the country. The government needs to unmask them in order to cut-off the oxygen supply to the insurgents.

    With the way things stand now, the onus is on the Nigerian military to gird its loins and effectively confront the menace of Boko Haram, particularly in Borno State, which appears to be its only remaining theatre of war, and its environs. Chris Olukolade, a Major-General and Director, Defence Information, has assured the nation that the military is capable of winning the war against the insurgents. Turenchi apart, the military really needs to demonstrate that it is an effective fighting force that can be relied upon by rooting the rag-tag Boko Haram terrorists from our soil without further prevarication.

    The insurgents may have taken sanctuary in the hills of Cameroun, from where they attack isolated villages every now and then. But, mind you, Cameroun could be quite reluctant to cooperate with Nigeria in the prosecution of this anti-terrorists’ campaign. That has been the nature of the francophone countries in Africa, especially in the West-African sub-region. If that is the case, we should not hesitate to close all our borders with Cameroun as was done in the past. It is only through this, that we can bring its government to see reason and co-opt it into this must-win war. This is a war that must be won at all costs even if it means declaring a full-blown emergency on Borno State.

  • Gunmen shoot at Borno governor’s convoy, hit commissioner’s vehicle

    Suspected insurgents of the Boko Haram sect have fired gun shots at the convoy of Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima hitting the official vehicle of the
    state Commissioner of Higher Education, Alhaji Bello Ayuba who escaped being killed.

    The shots targeted at the convoy destroyed the engine compartment of the commissioner’s vehicle thereby paralyzing its movement and breaking the
    the convoy returning from Bama without hurting any of the occupants in the vehicle
    On Sunday evening.

    According to an eyewitness, Ibrahim Yakubu who spoke with newsmen, the
    gunmen targeted the convoy hitting the commissioner’s vehicle, after Governor Kashim Shettima’s barely passed the location of the attempted assassination along
    Maiduguri-Bama road while returning from a condolence visit to the people of Bama and Malari over last Wednesday’s attacks and killings.

    “The suspected gunmen narrowly missed the commissioner and his driver,
    by firing several gunshots into the engine compartment, before convoy
    soldiers engaged the fleeing suspects into the Sambisa Forests,
    30 minutes after the attempted assassination on the Borno official,
    while returning from Bama yesterday to condole and sympathize with the
    people.

    “The gunmen capitalized on the fact that the Governor’s convoy was
    returning to Maiduguri and started firing at the commissioner’s official
    vehicle without hitting the commissioner or his driver yesterday,” Yakubu said.

    Spokesman of 7th Division of Nigerian Army, Col. Mohammed Dole and Borno
    State Police Commissioner, Tanko Lawal confirmed the attack.

    The Governor was however not perturbed about the attempt as he stopped by
    Malaria, a small settlement along the 78km Barma-Maiduguri road where he had also condoned with the people of the area over a fresh attack on their community
    by insurgents believed to be the Boko haram.

    Old and fatigued women who had lost their thatched homes burnt down at about midnight Saturday were seen trekking out of the village towards Maiduguri about
    twenty kilometers away for fear of being attacked.

    Fresh smoke was seen coming out of the some of the raised down homes of the people who told the Governor through their spokesman that two people died in the midnight raid on their peace by the insurgents.

    The Governor assured them that he will do all he can to rebuild their community adding that they should not allow the insurgents to dampen their spirits.

  • Why we can’t defeat Boko Haram now -Shettima

    With the increasing onslaught by the violent group Boko Haram in the North East in the past few weeks, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima Monday maintained that the resources on ground is not adequate to defeat the insurgents.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, he said that more resources should be voted to fight the insurgents as the situation has already degenerated into war.

    According to him, Book Haram members are better armed and motivated to carryout their evil attacks.

    He commended the efforts of the security agencies noting that they are doing their best in the given circumstances.

    He said: “Well, in a nutshell what we are being confronted with is that we are in a state of war. It is what I came to update Mr. President, the sooner we stop playing the ostrich and rise up to the challenges of the day, and marshall all resources towards visualizing the antics of Boko haram the better for all of us.”

    “But the bottom line is that we need more resources, more votes on ground. In all fairness to the officers and men of the Nigerian Army and Police, they are doing their best given the circumstances they have found themselves in.”

    The Governor continued: “But honestly Boko Haram are better armed and are better motivated than our own troops. And believe me, I am eternal optimist as I have always said but I am also a realist. Given the present state of affairs, it is absolutely impossible for us to defeat Boko Haram.”

    “I made it emphatically clear to Mr. President that the Boko Haram are better armed and better motivated, anybody who is following events in this country can attest to the fact that they have a very smooth sail overrunning communities, killing people. Have we ever succeeded in thwarting any of their plans.” He queried

    “They went to Konduga and did what they wanted to do, they held sway for over of hours before they left. They were in Kauri, Idzge and I don’t blame the Nigerian military honestly, we the leaders should be held responsible for our failure in leadership.” He said

    He also said he was not aware of any threat by Boko Haram to launch an onslaught against the people if Cameroon assists the Federal Government of Nigeria to fight the insurgents.

    “I am not privy to such an information but the President has assured us that he will put in his best to see that the unfortunate tendency of the Boko Haram overrunning communities and butchering innocent souls is brought under control.” He stated

    On the number of casualties, he said: “In Idzge alone we lost 106 people and they raided eight other communities so until I get back home, today or tomorrow I cannot give you the exact figure. But some were hospitalized with very great injuries so I am afraid the figures might climb.”

    He said that it was too early to start talking about elections in the state as all attention should be on how to ensure peace and harmony in the area.

    “It is too early for anybody to talk about election when human lives are involved, power comes from God and He gives power to whom He will. I don’t care a haute whether elections are here but I do care that peace is restored in Borno and the north east subregion, so people should stop playing politics.” The Governor added

    The Governor spoke with journalists after briefing President Goodluck Jonathan along with service chiefs in the State House.

    END

  • Group urges First Lady to promote peace

    Group urges First Lady to promote peace

    A Non-Governmental Organisation, I-Nigerian Renaissance Initiative has urged First Lady Patience Jonathan to be a vanguard for peace in the country.

    National Coordinator of the I-Nigerian Ada Stella Apiafi, said the First Lady’s many Peace-oriented projects which led her to declare herself as “Mama Peace” would remain an illusion if she could not intervene in the crisis bedevilled her home state Rivers and other parts of the country.

    The I-Nigerian in a statement said so much had been going on since the new year. “It would be difficult to ignore the fact that violence has been rearing its head among us, threatening our national security, costing us many lives and property and denting the image of our country more and more each day. Rivers State, Borno, Maiduguri, Ilorin, have witnessed spates of violence that have kept our security apparatus working round the clock.

    The group said with her influence and position, the First Lady could bring about peace in Rivers State. “It is no longer a matter of who is wrong, or who is right, nor even whether these eruptions are politically-motivated, or nor – it is now a matter of moving to save the State from absolute collapse and destruction, where the people will suffer greatly.

    The group added: “Whilst the final analysis is left for history to tell, and posterity hangs in the shadows, perhaps it’s a good time to also look at certain burning issues stirring the First Lady in the face. The position of First Lady also confers the status – and huge responsibility, I daresay – of being the “Mother of the Nation,” a position which requires a clear understanding, articulation, objectivity, and even temperament, in order to perform excellently in that role.

     

  • Borno bomb blast

    •Time to stop the carnage

    After one year of relative peace, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital was in turmoil again, when a car bomb killed 19 persons and injured about 40 others on January 14. The incident occurred at a commercial area populated by traders in the ancient city. Alhaji Lawan Tanko, the state commissioner of police who confirmed the incident said: “It is true that we had a blast at the GSM market after a suicide bomber driving in a firewood seller’s vehicle detonated his bomb around 1p.m. Security agents rushed to the scene and cordoned off the place to restore normalcy”.

    A survivor, Aisha Hassan, gave a more graphic account of the explosions:”I saw two boys on the ground and their bodies cut into pieces. Two other cars immediately caught fire and I ran away because there was too much blood”.

    Coming on a day that Muslims worldwide were celebrating the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, the question now is: who could have been responsible for the attack, and for what purpose? Could it be another attack by the Boko Haram? These are questions begging for answers.

    But, irrespective of who is responsible for the bombing and the purpose, we condemn the attack on innocent members of the public, who in most cases have no idea what the issues for which they are being killed or traumatised is all about. It is unfortunate that some Nigerians do not believe in the sanctity of lives, and would thus kill at the slightest provocation or even for no just cause.

    We are however particularly worried about the recrudescence of violence in Borno because we do not want it to be a permanent feature of the state that has enjoyed relative peace in about a year. In the first place, it is bad for development which the state badly needs; second, it will heat up the polity, which is equally bad for the state in particular, and the country at large.

    We saw a lot of challenges and deaths that past rancour in the state caused, including the attacks by the Boko Haram sect. That is for the living who still have hope of recovering because they are alive. But nothing can be done to bring the dead back to life. No doubt, the crises in Borno in the past week or thereabout are as unfortunate as they are avoidable. We call on Governor Kashim Shettima and his erstwhile political godfather, Ali Sheriff, to close ranks and call their supporters to order. They should eschew politics with bitterness and be tolerant of one another.

    It is important for us to caution against any form of infighting in the state, especially in view of the statement by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, not to conduct elections in the northeast state if the state of emergency there is not lifted before the 2015 elections. We have joined others to condemn the electoral commission boss for contemplating not to conduct elections in the state due to the emergency when general elections are still more than 13 months away, unless the commission had any other agenda or it was flying a kite. But then, politicians in the state should not play into the commission’s hands or the hands of people who would not want elections to hold in the state, for obvious reasons. The political gladiators must embrace peace and do their politicking with decorum. They should not let Jega’s prediction come to pass.

    Meanwhile, we urge the security agents to investigate the cause of the bomb blast and identify those responsible, with a view to bringing them to book.

     

  • My Governor of the Year 2013

    My Governor of the Year 2013

    It took only 30 minutes for Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima to qualify for the accolade, and his eligibility was perfected in highly remarkable circumstances. Shettima on December 15 reportedly departed from Abuja on a 7pm Arik flight to Lagos, where he was scheduled to participate in three meetings. A little over two hours after he left the federal capital, specifically at 9.15pm, the governor was having dinner at Mummy B Food Canteen, located in Onigbongbo, Maryland, Lagos, which he last visited some 20 years ago. He was drawn to the local restaurant with only four tables for 10 customers at a time by his love of amala, which he reportedly “missed so much”.

    So irresistible was his craving for the particular food, prepared in a particular way, that it was Shettima who gave directions to the official convoy, and he reportedly trekked to the eating spot in the company of two commissioners, his special adviser on media, staff of Borno Laison Office in Lagos and security aides. Interestingly, he was recognised as an old customer by the restaurant owner, Iya Moriya; and for his meal, he insisted on being served with the same kind of plates he was used to two decades ago. By the time he left the place at 9.45pm, word had travelled round the neighbourhood that a VIP was around.

    In significant ways, Shettima’s amala activity represents an enlightening metaphor for political leadership in a pluralistic polity. To start with, the 47-year-old leader born in Maiduguri, Borno State, in the country’s northern region, demonstrated that he was ethnically accommodating by his taste for food of a different cultural provenance from his own. Amala is a cultural dish popular among the Yoruba in the country’s Southwest region, and to have a northerner who would readily eat it without discrimination is a plus for Shettima’s pan-Nigerian credentials.

    Furthermore, it is commendable that Shettima remembered. Not only did he have a clear memory of the enjoyable taste of the particular amala, he also could recollect the route to the restaurant, even though he had not been there in years. It is striking that he even remembered the plates of yesteryear. More importantly, perhaps, he remembered that he had not always been a governor and that he had a past. His remembrance of things past mirrored his modesty, despite the context of high political office.

    In a manner of speaking, Shettima’s interaction with the restaurant workers can be likened to a descent from an Olympian height. It was a rare event that held lessons for the powerful. He certainly could have avoided eating in the lowly restaurant, given the fact that he had people at his beck and call that could have gone there to get a take-away meal for their boss. It is pertinent to wonder at the cost of eating in such a cheap restaurant, when he could have opted for a five-star hotel in the megacity, all at government expense.

    What was Iya Moriya’s recipe that made her amala so unforgettable for Shettima? His visit to the eating place must have made her day, not necessarily in financial terms, but on the psychological plane. Shettima returned to her restaurant as a governor, which was something to be proud of; and the happening may well have elevated her profile in the area, apart from giving her understandable bragging rights. By his association with the people, and his electrifying presence, therefore, Shettima scored well.

    For the avoidance of doubt, it is relevant to highlight Shettima’s education and exposure for the benefit of the narrow-minded who might consider his behaviour as perhaps informed by possible lack of sophistication. A Masters degree holder in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, and a former lecturer in the same subject at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, and a one-time top-level banker, he served as Commissioner of the Borno State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Commissioner in the Ministries of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Education, Agriculture and later Health before his election as governor in 2011 on the platform of the then All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), which this year merged with others to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    It is significant that Shettima governs the terrorised Borno State, which is currently under emergency rule imposed by the federal government, along with Adamawa and Yobe states, in a controversial anti-terror measure specifically introduced to check the murderously rampaging Islamic religionists known as Boko Haram. It is a reflection of his sensitivity that he lately overlooked his personal security in a visit to Bama local government area of the state, which is officially regarded as exposed to Boko Haram insurgents and the scene of carnage in recent times. At the palace of the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibrahim El-Kanemi, where he donated N100 million toward the rehabilitation of terror victims in the community, Shettima said momentously, “I took an oath of office as the governor two years ago to work for the people devoid of ethnic, religious and political affiliations. That is why it becomes a duty for us to share in your moments of grief.” It is noteworthy that his gesture tellingly contrasts with the rather detached attitude of the central administration on the contentious issue of compensation for casualties of the mayhem.

    In another defining instance, Shettima demonstrated understanding leadership during an unscheduled visit to Gen. Mohammadu Shuwa Memorial Hospital in Maiduguri, where he donated blood to an expectant mother in need of transfusion. According to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Salma Kolo, “The governor was disturbed by the condition of the woman and wanted to help. He later discovered through the medical attendants that his blood group matched that of the woman, so he decided to help out.”

    Remarkably, in these days of self-described professional politicians who go to extreme lengths to remain politically relevant, it is food for thought that Shettima has a vision of his post-governorship years. “I have a Masters degree, but after the political interregnum I wish to go back and get a PhD so that one can become a true intellectual in the real sense,” he said, while receiving the governing council of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in his office.

    In the end, there seems to be a fine quality to his personality that should naturally dovetail with good governance. Regrettably, his story is the stuff of fantasy in the real world of the country’s largely unfeeling politicians.

    Dear reader, this column wishes you a New Year of blessings beyond your imagination.

  • Shettima briefs Jonathan on Bama attack

    Borno State Governor, Ibrahim Shettima Tuesday  briefed President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa on the recent attack by Islamic sect, Boko Haram at the Nigerian Army’s 202 Tank Battalion in Bama, Borno State.

    The sect, who attacked the barracks with improvised explosive devices and petrol-bombs were repelled by the military.

    Speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting with the President, the governor denied the allegation that the barracks was deserted.

    The report, he said, was false.

    He said: “Women and children normally during crisis are moved to safer locations but the soldiers are on ground, they are right now in Bama and are doing their job very well”.

    On whether the crisis was far from ending, he said that the Federal Government was doing its best,

    “I am just here to brief Mr. President of what transpired in Bama, I believe that very soon this issue will be frontally addressed and it will be a thing of the past” he said

    Shortly after the attack, President Goodluck Jonathan had held an emergency security meeting with service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.

    The meeting was held shortly before the President decorated 48 newly promoted Major Generals in the Army, Navy and Air Force at the Command Officers’ Mess, Asokoro in Abuja last Friday.

    According to him, the nation was going through trying times, stressing that every Nigerian must join the efforts in the fight against terror.

  • Emergency Rule: Mix reactions trail Jonathan’s call for extension

    The proposed extension of State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states by President Goodluck Jonathan was on Thursday greeted with mixed feeling by the people of Adamawa.
    President Goodluck Jonathan on Nov. 6 wrote to the National Assembly seeking its approval to extend the emergency rule imposed on the three states experiencing the activities of insurgents.
    The letter followed the expiration of the six months emergency rule earlier declared in the states in May.
    Buba Ardo, a resident of Mubi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he was happy with the return of peace to the area.
    He, however, said he would want to see the emergency rule lifted for so that people, particularly the border communities, could go about their daily activities.
    “I am not happy with the proposed extension of state of emergency, it should be removed while the army should remain to patrol the area,” Ardo said.
    Also speaking, the Adamawa Secretary of Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI) , Alhaji Gambo Jika, said he was delighted that peace had returned to the state.
    “As far as we are concerned in Adamawa, things have normalised except if there are certain things the security agencies see that we cannot see,” Jika said.
    Also speaking in the same vein, Mallam Abdullahi Damare, Coordinator of North East Interfaith Mediation Centre, said it was high time the emergency rule was lifted.
    He said the security situation in the state had improved to the extent that the emergency rule was no longer necessary.
    The Adamawa Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Moses Taparki, also lauded the return of peace and normalcy in the state.
    He, however, said it was the duty of the security agencies to decide if things were normal enough to lift the emergency rule.
    “If they (security) feel the situation has improve to warrant the removal of the state of emergency they should go ahead to do it but if they feel otherwise so be it”, Taparki said.
    Meanwhile, the Director Press Affairs to Gov. Murtala Nyako, Mallam Ahmed Sajoh, has said the Adamawa government was not in support of the extension of the emergency rule.
    He said rather than a blanket extension, the security agencies should consider the security situation on state-by-state basis.
    He said the security situation in every state involved in the emergency rule regime would determine suitability of lifting the rule in that state.
    “We want the National Assembly to treat the case of each state based on merit. They should look at the situation in each state before taking their decision,” Sajoh said
  • Dialogue committee receives 36 memoranda in Borno

    Dialogue committee receives 36 memoranda in Borno

    The Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue says it has received a total of 36 memoranda from individuals and organisations during its sitting in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

    The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Femi Okoromu, disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Okoromu said that the committee was overwhelmed by the large number of turnout at the sitting.

    “We are satisfied with the outcome of the sitting in Maiduguri.

    “Actually, we were surprised at the large turnout of people and the orderly manner with which they conducted themselves throughout the duration of the sitting,” he said.

    Okoromu said that the massive turnout was an indication that Nigerians were in support of the idea behind the conference.

    “We are here to seek people’s opinion on the agenda for the conference, its duration as well as composition, among others.

    “We are glad that Nigerians came out in their numbers to say their minds on what they wanted at the conference.

    “I can tell you now that Nigerians are excited about the conference.

    “Many people have been looking forward to a national forum to discuss issues bothering them, now they have the opportunity to do so,” he said.

    He said that the committee decided to sit in Maiduguri to demonstrate its sincerity.

    “We came to Maiduguri in spite of the security challenges facing the state to send a message to Nigerians.

    “First, Nigerians must always have confidence in their country and secondly, that we must show love and patriotism to our country in all our dealings,” Okoromu urged. (NAN)