The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum has reiterated the government’s desire to do away with insurgency by next year.
Zulum said this on Thursday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
In his briefing with State House correspondents, Zulum said by the grace of God, the miscreants who have besieged Nigeria since 2009, especially the Northern part, will be terminated in 2023.
He was in Abuja to update Buhari on the progress made by leadership in tackling the menace of Boko Haram in his region.
“As I’ve been saying before, the kinetic measures alone will never end the insurgency. The social and political dimension of this crisis is very important. So, we have decided to engage them through dialogue and mediation, with a view to ensuring that many of them should lay down their arms,” he said.
“So far, so good, the objective has started yielding positive result. Apart from this also, in Borno state, for example, as I told you last time, we had problems in the shores of the Lake Chad as well as in southern Borno. I’m pleased to inform you that there was a very heavy military deployment into the southern Borno. And I hope such a deployment will also take place in northern Borno with a view to clearing ISWAP insurgents in Lake Chad. So, this has also yielded positive results.
“Things are getting better in Borno state and this is the major reason I came to see Mr President. There are some issues that should not be discussed in the public. These issues are security issues.
“The most important thing is that the federal government under the leadership of President Buhari with the Borno state government and the military, we’re all working in close collaboration to ensure that those that are willing to surrender are given the opportunity to surrender.
“The way we are going, with the support of the federal government, with good management, Boko Haram will be over very soon.”
When asked if he insurgency will end in 2023, he said: “Insha Allah. You know what I mean by Insha Allah — God willing”.
