By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
For the umpteenth time, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has canvassed for the engagement of mercenaries if the insecurity ravaging the country will be halted.
He also restated his earlier view that the Presidency should return to the Southern part of Nigeria after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari has ended in 2023.
Speaking on Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Gov. Zulum lamented that the insecurity in his North-East geopolitical zone has festered despite the efforts the Borno state and Federal Governments have put to fight insurgents and criminality in the zone.
According to him: “although security situation in Borno state and the North-East is better now than it was in the past, a lot needs to be done. This is why I have been calling for the engagement of mercenaries if truly we want deal with the menace of insecurity once and for all”.
Asked why his suggestions have not got the attention of appropriate quarters especially the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gov. Zulum said he has done that several times.
Said he: “some of the reasons they give for not engaging foreign mercenaries are the country is large, national pride and huge cost associated with it.
Gov. Zulum however restated his earlier allegation that the insurgents are better equipped, pointing out that they have more sophisticated weapons (arms and ammunition) and are more in numbers.
He lamented the non-availability of the weapons ordered by the Federal Government, arguing that; “It is taking too long for the military hardwares like the Tucano Super aircrafts which are said to have been paid for to arrive Nigeria”.
On the Southern Governors Forum’s demands for the Presidency to shift to South in 2023, Gov. Zulum said he support the call but frown at the choice of words of his colleagues in making the demand.
According to him: “I have said it at different fora that I support power to move to South at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in 2023 but I don’t like the tone of Southern Governors Forum which said power must shift to South.
“I want them to remove must from the word. I am a Muslim and I want to do what is right and just hence I am of the view that power shifts to the Southern part of Nigeria. I make no excuses about my stand and I must add that I am not asking to become a Vice President of a Southern President. I am supporting it in the interest of peace, fairness and justice”, he concluded.
