Professor Zulum Borno Governor
Professor Zulum Borno Governor
Why We Supported 150 cameroonian vigilantes Against Boko
Haram- Borno Gov
It was for his ignorance of current security cooperation amongst
states within the Lake Chad Region, that Dr Ona Ekhomu, President,
Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria
(AISSON) issued press statement criticizing Borno Governor,
Professor Babagana Umara Zulum for equipping 150 Cameroonian
vigilantes who have joined the fight against Boko in northern part
of Borno State, in the shores of the Lake Chad.
Zulum’s Special Adviser on public relations and strategy, Malam
Isa Gusau, stated this at the weekend in reaction to media
publications on Thursday, in which Ekhomu described Zulum’s recent
dealing with 150 Cameroonian vigilantes as “a huge mistake” and an
illegal disregard for Nigeria’s sovereignty and its Army.
“I have read reports in at least five newspapers credited to my
elder brother, Dr. Ona Ekhomu who said with emphasis that Governor
Babagana Umara Zulum acted illegally by equipping 150 cameroonian
Vigilantes to join the fight against Boko Haram In Nigeria. He even
said the Governor’s decision was a huge mistake in disregard for
the Nigerian Army and Nigeria’s sovereignty. I say with no intent
to disrespect Dr Ekhomu, that his press statements were based on
complete ignorance.
“First of all, Governor Zulum’s operational arrangements with
the 150 Cameroonian vigilantes happened with full involvement of
the Nigerian Army’s component in the multinational joint task
force, currently fighting Boko Haram in eight regions affected by
boko haram attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.
In fact, it was at the headquarters of 5 Brigade of Nigerian Army
in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar local government area in
northern Borno State, that officials of Borno government presented
patrol vehicles and other logistics to the Cameroonians last
week.
“Pictures of the events were released to the media and I am
surprised that Dr Ekhomu didn’t make effort to get these facts
before issuing press statements to criticize that hopefull
productive counter terrorism effort.
“I am attaching pictures of the event here, again. The
cameroonian vigilantes are operating in parts of northern Borno
located in the shores of the Lake Chad and they are operating under
the coordination and command of the Nigerian Army component of the
multinational task force. One of the key benefits of having these
vigilantes is the latitude to generate and pass on intelligence
from border communities in Cameroon and to also pursue insurgents
who occasionally flee from Nigerian territories to border
communities in Cameroon where Nigerian troops may be constrained to
engage them” Gusau said.
The spokesman explained that in addition to the full involvement
of the Nigerian Army on the 150 Cameroonian vigilantes, Governor
Zulum is member of the Lake Chad Governors Forum in which
”Governors of eight regions of the Lake Chad Basin affected by
Boko Haram are involved in cross-border cooperation on security.
That Lake Chad Governors Forum (to which Governors of Borno, Yobe,
Adamawa and their counterparts in five regions of Cameroon, Chad
and Niger are members) was established with the involvement of the
United Nation’s Security Council’s committee on counter terrorism
and the federal government of all the countries. The forum’s first
meeting took place in Maiduguri in May 2018 and the second meeting
held in Niamey, Niger Republic around July, 2019. The main
objective of that forum is to ease cross border cooperation in the
fight against boko haram in the affected countries. I am surprised
that Dr Ekhomu, who is a security consultant, is not aware of all
these measures set in place in the determined effort to deploy new
approaches of fighting the boko haram”, Gusau said.
The spokesman, advised persons who speak to the media on
security issues to take time to research on subject matters and get
the facts before rushing to the press.