The national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has visited Governor Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following the recent killings in the state.
During the visit on Monday, Tinubu acknowledged that the long battle against insecurity had become more intense and therefore, called on the Nigerian military to change their strategy.
“We have been on this (Boko Haram issue) for some time. We have seen the reaction of the Federal Government, we have seen the reaction of the Armed Forces, this is no longer a conventional warfare, this is more tactical, more crude,” he said.
“In such situation what we do is to replan our strategy. We have seen the Governor’s life has been attacked more than one occasion in effort to eliminate him but Allah is mighty, he has protected and will continue to protect you”.
At least 43 farmers were killed by bandits on November 28, in the Zabamari area of the state.
The farmers were waylaid on their way to their rice farms which they were harvesting before the surprise attack happened.
Both local and international organisations have condemned the killings, demanding justice for the innocent farmers even as the United Nations put the death toll at at least 110, with several other persons also kidnapped.
Similarly, Tinubu condemned the situation, saying it is difficult for governance to excel when insurgency thrives.
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“You can’t concentrate, become innovative and excel if you have to make educational development in fear. We saw people who have endured so much agony, denial, brutality decided to run to their farms to develop means of livelihood not only for themselves but for all of us, at the end they were slaughtered.
“That’s not religion,” he said.
“It is not in our religion (Islam), it is not in Christianity either, it is an act of wickedness. I want His Excellency and members of the state executive to see this visit not as a condolence only, not a sympathy only, but as a solidarity and commitment that we must defeat all evil doers”.
Zulum thanked Tinubu for the visit, as well as his solidarity, while reiterating his commitment to restoring peace and sanity in the state.
The visit comes after the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, also led a delegation of other traditional rulers to pay a condolence visit to the governor.
The revered monarch asked the military to occupy Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad region housing the insurgents.
Governor Zulum, had last week, stated that although military forces were doing their best, the shores of the Lake Chad, Sambisa forest and Mandara Hills, remain major strongholds.
