I have been fighting Boko Haram on my own since 2013 —Gov Shettima

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has said his administration has solely been responsible for fighting the Boko Haram insurgents in the north eastern state.

Shettima said all successes recorded by volunteers of the Civilian Joint Task would not have been possible safe for his role in making funds available as a state governor.

Shettima made this explanation on an Arise News programme on Saturday where he was quoted by his spokesman, Isa Gusau.

The governor, who described as “mischief makers“, people who have critcised him for his nonchalance in handling the fight against terrorism in the state, said he had been responsible for the operational cost of the over 20,000 men of the civilian JTF, includimg acquisition of equipment, provision of shelter and logistics.

According to Gusau the roles of the civilian JTF include intelligence gathering, easy identification and arrest of suspected insurgents and supporting the military in the war fronts.

Despite all these, the governor expressed shock that he was not been praised for what he has been doing since 2013 but was being criticised by people who were determined to undermine his efforts

Gusau said, “mischief makers are doing everything possible to smear Governor Shettima over the Boko Haram crisis, whereas the same mischief makers regularly acknowledge the roles played by patriotic members of the civilian JTF.

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“They deliberately ignored the fact that in the last six years, Governor Shettima has been the sole person giving approvals for the operational vehicles and logistics, recruitment, training, payment of allowances, kitting and surveillance equipment to these over 20,000 heroes, under the Civilian JTF that have given everything to the fight against Boko Haram.

“The mischief makers ignore that back in 2013, it was Governor Shettima who drove the process of getting making office of the National Security Adviser to approve the operational activities of the Civilian JTF and he has remained the only one funding all their operations including the coordination of their recruitment and deployments after clearance by the DSS.

“The same Governor approves funds to support gallant members of the Civilian JTF including allocation of lands to the to own houses so as to encourage them and guarantee their future” Gusau noted.

“Only last month, the Chief of Army Staff at the closing of his annual conference in Maiduguri and before the media, described as “overwhelming”, the commitment of Governor Kashim Shettima to the Nigerian Army in the fight against Boko Haram.

“Similarly, in 2014, then Director of Operations at the Defence headquarters, Major General Lawrence Ndugbane (now retired) said before the media, that Kashim Shettima is one of the Governors who helps the military to generate actionable intelligence through the Governor’s regular interactions with community leaders in Borno State.

“These are all on record. So, attempts by anyone to change these public records will, like previous other attempts, become futile exercises,” Gusau added.

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