Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State has appealed to military authorities to consider restoring GSM that was cut off following escalation of attacks by Islamist insurgents in north eastern Nigeria. He said it will aid free passage of information to security agencies.
He made the appeal when he received the DHQ Fact-Finding Team in his office in Damaturu on Wednesday. He also commended the Federal Government and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) for the interest shown in the security of the state by promptly sending a high-powered Fact Finding team to the state after the weekend terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Mamudo.
The Governor noted that the gesture was the first of its kind in response to a disaster in the state. He declared that the Joint Task Force deployed in the state was doing its best in addressing the security challenges.
He said, the incident in Mamudo was an unfortunate and painful disaster. He observed that like many other facilities the school was situated in a forested environment hence the action of the terrorists who exploited the situation to attack the school and the defenceless students.
According to him, such places would require extraordinary protection. He therefore called for appropriate strategies to tackle the peculiar reality of the security challenges in such localities. He requested the military authorities to reconsider the issue of outage of GSM telephones as it would help in passing information to the security agencies especially in the light of the current realities of the security situation.
Governor Geidam stated that his government “realises the importance of peace as there is no alternative to peace”. He then declared that the state would continue to support the activities and operations of the JTF in the state.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the DHQ team, Major General Obinali Ariahu, informed the governor that the team was in the state to assess the deployment of the JTF troops as well as their requirements to carry out their task in forestalling any breach of security in the state.
He conveyed the sympathy and condolences of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Olaa Sa’ad Ibrahim to the Government and people of Yobe State on the loss of lives occasioned by the terrorist attacks on the school and other locations.
The General informed the Governor that the Team had visited the scene of the incident at Mamudo as well as various troops’ locations in the state. He said the outcome of its fact-finding mission especially as it concerns the attack on the school would be presented for due analysis and action of the DHQ with a view to enhancing the capacity of the forces to prevent or respond to similar occurrences in the future.
The governor expressed appreciation to the military authorities for the understanding and support of the state to the JTF. He assured the people of the state that the forces would remain committed to discharging their duties with due efficiency.
The team had earlier interacted with community leaders, Local Government officials, education authorities as well as teachers in Mamudo and environs to obtain necessary information. It also interviewed commanders and troops in the area. The Fact Finding Team has since returned to Abuja to brief the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
