From Olukayode Idowu
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has commenced consultations on how to react to the massive surrender of Boko Haram with a visit on Monday to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor in Abuja.
According to a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, the meeting, was in furtherance of Zulum’s resolve to widely consult security and Borno stakeholders towards developing a framework that would address concerns raised over the surrender of members of the Boko Haram/ISWAP through the military’s ‘Operation Safe Corridor’ deployed as a psychological warfare to weaken the ranks of the terrorists.
Governor Zulum who arrived in Abuja from Maiduguri on Monday, headed straight to the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff.
The governor is scheduled to hold series of other consultations.
Zulum had on Saturday during visits to Bama and Gwoza, addressed military commanders and community leaders.
He had then disclosed plans to engage in a high-level consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari, the service chiefs and the resident security heads, traditional rulers, elders and religious leaders, national and state assembly members, academics, other stakeholders and victims of insurgents’ attacks with a view to addressing what he described as a difficult situation.
The governor noted that though the surrender by thousands of insurgents provides a significant opportunity to end the 12 years of war, there were concerns that needed to be addressed, which bother on the feelings of victims as well as the confidence of citizens in the event repentant insurgents are to be reintegrated.
