Borno elders asked to complement efforts of the military in anti-Boko Haram war

Zulum Convoy Attack: Borno Elders Charged to Lead Calls on Boko Haram Terrorists to Surrender

The Patriotic Elders Council (PEC) has charged fellow elders from the north-east to lead the call on Boko Haram insurgents to surrender. 

In a statement signed by Simon Shango, its secretary-general, the PEC challenged leaders and stakeholders from the region to rise up against insurgents.

The PEC’s call follows the recent attack on the convoy of Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state.

According to the group, some leaders in the north-east and members of the communities where insurgency rages have overtime failed to complement the efforts of the military in fighting Boko Haram.

Shango said the synergy between the military in warfare and traditional or political leadership is crucial in ending the war against insurgents.

“We must unequivocally state that we are extremely unhappy that some leaders in the Northeast axis and even some members of the communities where resurgent insurgency rages have overtime failed to complement the efforts of the Nigerian Military in fighting Boko Haram,” the statement read.

“International and local security experts have conceded in various analysis available in and outside the country and from the experiences of other countries similarly afflicted with terrorism like Nigeria that synergy between the Military in warfare and traditional or political leadership is crucial and a strong weapon of defeating terrorists anywhere.

“Unfortunately, it is lacking in Nigeria. There is an unbridged gulf on this in Nigeria. While the Nigerian forces have quenched the fires of Boko Haram on the battlefield, leaders and some members of local communities have failed to support or sustain these efforts.

“Let us remind ourselves again that our colleagues, the Northeast leaders, elders and stakeholders must rise up now to complement the military’s efforts by calling on the insurgents, their own children to surrender and embrace peace in Northern Borno now. There is no better time to do that than NOW!

“We make this public statement knowing well that everyone is sad at the seeming pleasure of some leaders and stakeholders from the northeast to see their people afflicted for years and Nigerians suffer massively under the scourge of Boko Haram without intervention. All they do is silence or at best, scolding the military each time, insurgents hide in the villages, and communities, shielded by locals to bloodily strike at them. It’s extremely unfair for any reason whatsoever.

“Today, our patriotic political leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has committedly battled the Boko Haram insurgency to a standstill. He has assembled the best Military experts in warfare as Service Chiefs and funding the counter-insurgency operations devotedly, despite meagre national resources.

While saluting troops on the frontlines for their “courage, sacrifices and patriotism”, the group, however, urged the leaders, elders and stakeholders in the north-east to “stop the leisure in the comfort of their houses” in Abuja or elsewhere outside their troubled region, waiting only to come out to condemn the  military when there is any casualty from an attack by insurgents is condemnable.