THE commander of the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in
the North East, Maj. Gen. Jah Ewansiah, has admitted that 12 soldiers and seven
police officers were killed in recent attacks.
Earlier, the military had said only
two soldiers and one police officer were killed when suspected members of Boko
Haram attacked a military base and police outpost near Nigeria’s border with
Cameroon on August 4.
Gen. Ewansiah, on a visit to
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State in Maiduguri, said that despite the
losses the task force is “resolute and committed to ensure that peace is
completely restored in the state, even if it means losing our lives.”
The governor assured that with the
gradual return to peace, his administration is determined to transform the
state. He made the declaration yesterday while receiving the members of the
Borno Elders Forum and Leaders of Thought led by Ambassador Usman Gaji
Galtimari who paid him Sallah homage at the Government House in Maiduguri.
He emphasised that education, health
and agriculture if properly harnessed can provide job opportunities for the
teeming youths.
According to him, the government
would not mind paying parents in order to send their wards to schools
emphasising that very soon himself and the Deputy Governor will relocate to all
parts of the state, particularly northern Borno to ensure that parents enrol
their wards into schools.
Earlier in a remark, the Chairman,
Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought, Ambassador Galtimari, acknowledged that
the success recorded by the security operatives and the Civilian JTF in their
set objectives was as a result of the governor’s support, commitment and
dedication.
He thanked him for providing good
leadership for the state, stressing that if all political leaders will emulate
his leadership qualities, Borno would have been a better place than it.
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Politics