BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI
Borno State Government on Saturday met with President General of Igbo Welfare Association, Chief Maclaw Nwaogu and other leaders of Igbo community in the state, and assured all and sundry adequate protection of lives and Property.
Governor Kashim Shettima, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Usman Mamman Durkwa at the Government House, said, the meeting with Igbo Communities in the state was at the instance of the governor who was out of the state for an official assignment.
Durkwa said, inspite of the growing crisis in some South Eastern states of the country where some group of individuals were agitating for the Creation of Biafra Nation, the Igbo community in Borno have demonstrated some level of maturiyy and resilience over yhe years in the state, adding that, even at peak of insurgency, where many people fled out of the state, the Igbos remained as well as going about their normal businesses.
The Deputy Governor noted that the cordial relationship that do exists between the Igbos, government and diverse ethnic groups have given other people hope and confidence.
“Therefore, i want use this opportunity to assure the Igbo community in Borno of your safety, inspite of growing tensions in some parts of this country, and i urge you to continue to go about your normal businesses in the state without fear.
“Government is working closely with our security agencies, ensure safety of all citizens, and i urge you to inform your people who were not here with us, that the unity and oneness of this country is very paramount for the progress and development.
“The people of Borno state have suffered a lot for the past eight years, and as such, we will not condone any bridge of law and order that will undermine the relative peace achieved so far in this part of the country.
“We equally use this Forum to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his political will to end the Boko Haram insurgency and the gallant effort of our Military Personnel, other security agencies and our Civilian JTF in the fight against insurgency in the state”. Durkwa stated.
Responding, the President General of the Igbo Welfare Association, Chief Nwaogu appreciated Borno state Government under the leadership of governor Shettima for his fatherly role in uniting the people in the state irrespective of ethnic and religious consideration.
Nwaogu recalled that even during when Coalition of Arewa Youths Forum issued an Ultimatum for Igbos to quit from the North by 1st October 2017, Governor Shettima who is the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum reacted and condemned such ‘quit notice’.
His words: ” We Igbo community are proud to be citizens of Borno, since time immemorial, we have interwooven with all the diverse people of Borno who are peace-loving, and resolved not to engage in anything that will jeopardise the hard earned peace in the state.
“We are really not happy with unfortunate happenings in the South East, and we here in Borno, in as much as we condemned the agitations, we also stand with resolutions of our Governors in the South East”. Nwaogu stated.
The meeting was attended by service chiefs including Commisioner of Police, Mr. Damian Chukwu among other stakeholders. End
