Governor Babagana Zulum says the ISWAP’s appointment of governor in the state is not authentic.
Gatekeepers News reports that Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, said the alleged appointment of a governor over some territories in the state by Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, was not authenticated.
Governor Zulum after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Monday, stated that he is fully in charge of the state.
The Governor who said there is nothing contrary to show the emergence of any parallel government in the state added that his administration is not investigating the issue.
Recently, there have been speculations that the insurgents had appointed one Abba Kaka as the governor under a new leadership restructuring by an interim council.
Zulum, said: “We are yet to validate the authenticity of this report that ISWAP appointed governor in Borno State. So, as the governor of the state, I think it’s not right for me to speak on something that I don’t have full knowledge of.
“This report is not authenticated. You have just seen somebody writing something on social media, I think it’s on Facebook or something like that. You’re a journalist and I think we have to prove reports beyond reasonable doubts, before commenting on such reports.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m the governor of Borno State and I don’t have any information that we have another government in Borno State. And I’m very much in charge.”
The Governor while speaking on his mission to the presidential villa, said he came to seek the president’s assistance to repatriate the over 200,000 Borno indigenes who fled insurgency to Chad, Cameroon, and the Niger Republic.
Zulum said: “Now that we have started witnessing gradual return of peace to Borno State, these people that are taking refuge in our neighbouring countries are willing to return home.
“Therefore, Borno State government picked a date of November 27, 2021, for the commencement of the repatriation process, especially to local government areas of Abadam and Guzamala.”
“So, I came to brief Mr. President, to solicit his support, with the view to ensuring hitch-free repatriation exercise.”
The governor, however, declined to place a figure on the cost of the repatriation, saying: “I can’t quantify, but I think the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs with its agencies; NEMA, the Refugee Commission and indeed the Northeast Development Commission, lastly the Borno State government, have the capacity to shoulder the responsibility of the repatriation exercise.”
