BOEF wants JTF out of Born, Gov and Chief Security Officer says No

THE concerted efforts needed to tackle the menace of the Boko Haram insurgency in the epicenter of the violence, Borno, may have run into a major crisis as some eminent citizens of the state and the Governor, Shettima who is the political head of the state, are currently at loggerhead over the deployment of the Joint Military Task Force.

The troop had been responsible for tackling the violent insurgents, whose dastard activities are said to have claimed hundreds of lives in the past three years, with most of the victims being from Borno and neighbouring state of Yobe, and extending to Bauchi, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Lokoja and the FCT Abuja.

While the senior citizens under the aegis of Borno Elders Forum (BOEF), have declared publicly that they wanted the JTF withdrawn from the state, the governor, who is the Chief Security Officer of the State, yesterday distanced himself and his administration from such call.

Supported by his Chief Security officer, the governor declared that “without the presence of the Federal Government, insurgents would chase everyone out of Borno and the entire Northeast”.

On Friday, traditional and religious leaders along with prominent elders of Borno State had expressed disappointment with the manner of handling the security situation in the Northeast by the Federal Government. Source