Gov Zulum, Sen Ndume clash over rehab of 20,000 repentant Boko Haram terrorists

Borno Gov. Babagana Zulum and Borno Sen. Ali Ndume, both APC, have spilled their opposing views of the Operation Safe Corridor to the open.

The governor is then warning the senator t stop inciting the populace against over 20,000 repentant Boko Haram fighters and sympathizers that have surrendered so far.

He said this during a courtesy visit by the Senate committee on army to the government house in Maiduguri.

“I heard him criticising the repentant terrorists and I felt that this should not have come from someone from Borno. I called him to register my disappointment with his comments. We know where we were before now.

According to him, Ndume cannot go to his hometown without security escort.

“Ndume’s hometown, Hambagda has been deserted for the past seven years and no one is living there. Ninety-five per cent of his people cannot go to their farms till this moment. But the situation is different since we started witnessing the surrender of the terrorists. Areas under cultivation have increased by seven hundred per cent and farmers have had bumper harvests this year.

“Whether we like it or not, we have to welcome these repentant Boko Haram insurgents. Although some of them may not be genuine, quite a number of them are genuine.

“Relative peace is gradually returning to the state as such we should encourage them to surrender not incite the locals against them.

He said over 20,000 have surrendered so far, and about 5,000 of them are fighters.

“So imagine the destructions these fighters would cause if they haven’t surrendered. Until now, two local government areas of Borno State -Abadam and Guzamala, are still under the firm control of Boko Haram,’ he said.

“Some communities in eight local government areas including Gwoza, Damboa, Bama, Chibok and a host of others still have elements of Boko Haram insurgents.”