Zulum asks Nigerians to spare some moments for soldiers hunting Boko Haram

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, has asked Nigerians to reflect on how soldiers and members of the civilian joint task force (JTF) are celebrating Christmas.

In a statement on Thursday, Isa Gusau, Zulum’s spokesman, quoted the governor as felicitating with Christians in Borno and Nigeria at large on Christmas celebrations.

He asked Nigerians to use the period in reflecting on how soldiers and members of the civilian joint task force are celebrating Christmas.

Zulum said such reflection will help Nigerians rededicate themselves to ensuring peace.

“While felicitating with fellow citizens and wishing everyone a peaceful, joyful and blessed Christmas festival, I will like to urge all of us, Nigerians, to take some moments today, to deeply reflect by wondering within us, how soldiers who are genuinely dedicated, how security armed forces like them, how our volunteers from the civilian JTF, local hunters and vigilantes, are currently marking their own Christmas in bushes, hunting Boko Haram and also being hunted by the insurgents, and also how families of these forces and volunteers are celebrating without their breadwinners,” the statement read.

“At the same time, we should ask ourselves how thousands of yet to be resettled internally displaced persons and fellow Nigerians taking refuge in foreign countries are also celebrating today’s Christmas, lined up for food in camps and host communities.

“Reflecting on the conditions of fellow citizens will push everyone of us with a conscience to rededicate ourselves to ceaselessly pray for peace, to supporting the fight through generating relevant information for security agents, and to supporting IDPs, returning refugees and any other victim of the unfortunate insurgency.”

The governor said his administration will continue to support efforts in combating the insecurity crisis in the war-ravaged state.

He said the carrot and stick approach will continue to be deployed on security issues based on his personal principles and training as an academic.

Carrot and stick approach is a system of deploying rewards and punishments as methods of persuasion.

“We will continue to accord far-reaching support to security forces, especially those who have shown their dedication and gallantry,” it read.

“We will commend and reward, and where there is the need to raise voices of concern, we will do so on behalf of our citizens whom we were sworn to protect. I believe in the carrot and stick approach, and this is based on my personal principles and my training in academics.

“Critical thinking is the foundation of academics and in this, the philosophy is to look at the opposite sides of every case study. From the academic point of view, there is never one side to any case under study and this is why I commend, I reward, and I also criticize. I take every issue on its own merit and I do so with the best of intentions and without fear or favour, affection or ill will. May God grant us lasting peace in Borno and Nigeria.”