Governor, Kashim Shettima of Borno state has sounded a serious note of
\nwarning that linking the Nigerian Armed Forces with support for Boko
\nHaram is most unhealthy and unhelpful in counter insurgency operations
\nand dangerous to the survival of the nation.<\/p>\n
Governor Shettima said in a message he personally signed and issued to
\njournalists while reacting to series of media reports which began since
\nlast week, quoting an unknown soldier that top military leaders were
\nworking in tandem with Boko Haram elements.<\/p>\n
“Of all theories being alleged in connection with the Boko Haram, the most
\ndangerous as far as I’m concerned is to raise such grievous suspicion
\naround our security forces. When citizens grow such suspicion and believe
\nin it,I’m afraid,Boko Haram can light fire works to celebrate a grand
\nvictory of setting up citizens against the security agencies.<\/p>\n
” Since last week, I have listened and read these media reports with the
\nhope that the issue will not be getting out of hand but it appears the
\nmatter is growing and I find it very disturbing. I do not want to bother
\nabout the credibility or otherwise of the soldier in question. I’m sure
\nthe security forces take this allegation seriously and they are
\ninvestigating it as they should.<\/p>\n
Shettima who stated that his was not holding brief for the armed forces
\nnoted that as Governor of Borno State,whose area is unfortunately the
\nworst hit, ” I would rather encourage confidence building between citizens
\nand the armed forces so that intelligence sharing can rise continually and
\nwe don’t loose focus in the counter insurgency”.<\/p>\n
According to the governor, ” the day citizens grow the suspicion of
\nregarding security agencies as collaborators of insurgents whereas the
\nsecurity have the constitutional mandate of protecting citizens, then we
\nwill be drifting towards chaos as a Nation, we cannot afford that
\nunhealthy development.<\/p>\n
” Unless it becomes unquestionably evident, we must work as
\nindividuals,groups and institutions to promote public trust in our armed
\nforces so as to encourage cordiality between citizens and security
\nagencies.<\/p>\n
” We must recognize that at the moment, the security agencies are all
\nwe’ve got,we should preserve their integrity by at least giving them the
\nbenefit of doubt.
\n“As the one working with them in Borno since 2011,I know the number of
\nmilitary men, police men and women as well as para-military men and women,
\namong them commanders in the military and senior police officers that
\nsacrificed their lives in the fight against our unfortunate insurgency
\nproblems in Borno which also obtains in some parts of Nigeria. Insurgents
\nwill do everything to cause confusion,to manipulate us so that we don’t
\ntrust each other as citizens and as establishments,let’s not fall into
\ntheir trap,loose focus and become their mass victims.<\/p>\n
“The military has in the past arrested, made public and court-marshalled
\nsoldiers found to be collaborating with insurgents,such patriotic efforts
\nby the military establishments should be intensified by all security
\nagencies. I must acknowledge and very well appreciate the important roles
\nplayed by the media in the fight against insurgency. The media should
\nkindly and very importantly,too, help in fighting any suspicion that can
\ngrow between citizens and armed forces.<\/p>\n
“The armed forces rely on information from citizens,the citizens rely on
\nthe armed forces for protection, this therefore means,that suspicion
\nbetween them will help no one but insurgents who would take advantage of
\nsuch situation at the end to wreck more havoc on already traumatized
\ncitizens.<\/p>\n
The governor therefore advised the general public to continue to pray and
\nwork for peace using whatever platforms at their disposals” so that we
\ncan happily live, freely worship, associate and move around all parts of
\nNigeria as we should in our fundamental rights” .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Governor, Kashim Shettima of Borno state has sounded a serious note of warning that linking the Nigerian Armed Forces with support for Boko Haram is most unhealthy and unhelpful in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n