Group kicks against Zulum’s call for Chadian soldiers to fight Boko Haram

The Citizens Against Insurgency (CAI) has condemned the call of Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, for Chadian troops to help fight Boko Haram insurgents, describing it as “irresponsible” and “ill-conceived”. 

According to the group, no governor ought to contemplate such “outrageous proposition talk less of voicing it out”.

The Citizens Against Insurgency made this known in a press statement signed by Adamu Bala, director of strategy and communication, on Thursday.

“The Citizens Against Insurgency is alarmed by the ill-conceived appeal by the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum to President Muhammadu Buhari to invite Chadian troops to help fight Boko Haram,” the statement read.

“We condemn this call by the Borno State governor as irresponsible and underpinned by an abysmal lack of understanding about the roles being played by international politics of geostrategic interests and the dynamics of terrorism.

“It is inconceivable how the Chief Security Officer of Borno State, which is most ravaged by the evil activities of the terrorists, can contemplate the Chadian Army as being part of the solution when in reality it is a major source of the problem.

“The well-publicized offensive by the Chadian military against Boko Haram was merely a face-saving measure after the terrorists killed some troops contrary to the arrangement they have with Chadian authorities to not interfere with their insurgency.

“Governor Zulum should have rather approached Chad’s colonial master, France, which still pulls the strings to make that francophone country appear to like being active in countering insurgency.

“Citizens Against Insurgency counts it as unfortunate that the Borno State government has never demonstrated a capacity to listen or heed advice or else we would prescribe that he submits himself to the tutelage of experts to properly educate him on how Nigeria’s (Borno’s) francophone neighbours, Niger, Chad and Cameroon repeatedly frustrated efforts at building a multi-nations coalition against the terrorists by failing to hold their side of the assignment.

“He must note that Nigerians and even Borno people find his obsession and romance with Chad unnerving like when he sometimes ago visited that country in a faux pax.

“Citizens Against Insurgency strongly recommends that Governor Zulum takes the advice offered by his peers and fellow governors as conveyed by the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state who admonished him to exercise caution in his activities in the state. Governor Zulum should desist from activities that undermine efforts to restore peace and security to Borno state and its environs”.