•UN, UK condemn killings
The Federal Government yesterday lamented
that the activities of Boko Haram has damaged
the country’s reputation.
It described the killing on Sunday of 44 people
in Konduga, Borno State by people suspected
to be Boko Haram members as “desperate and
isolated.”
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
urged Boko Haram to cease further attacks.
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the
recent violent attacks that have killed scores of
civilians in the localities of Mafa and Konduga
in Borno state,” his spokesperson said in a
Statement.
Mr. Ban called on all parties to resolve their
differences through dialogue and other
peaceful means.
“The Secretary-General reiterates his firm
conviction that no objective can be attained
through such violence,” the spokesperson
stressed.
Britain said the attack is “contemptible and
cowardly” in a statement by its Foreign Office
Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds, it pledged
to “stand with the government and people of
Nigeria.”
Information Minister Labaran Maku said the
spate of insecurity being perpetrated by the
sect has slowed down the performance of
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Maku, who spoke to reporters at the national
secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) yesterday, insisted that the insecurity is
politically-instigated.
According to him, but for the insecurity in the
land, the Jonathan administration would have
made appreciable progress in terms of
development in the various sectors.
“Boko Haram has damaged the reputation of
Nigeria. A report of a bomb explosion makes
more news globally than commissioning of
projects. We have been doing well in an
atmosphere of negative reports. This
government is the most documented in the
Nigeria history,” he said.
Maku said despite the constant threat of
insecurity, the nation’s economy has
improved.
He warned international agencies, particularly
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) not to
dictate to Nigeria, but should give advice
where necessary.
Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima was all
grief as he visited Konduga yesterday.
He was told by District Head Zannah Masu Yale
that a woman was among the 43 killed. Thirty
others, he added were injured in the attack on
people at a Mosque. He said 78 houses were
burnt.
The traditional ruler urged the government to
deploy more troops.
The governor, who cut short his trip out of the
state, donated N5 million and four vehicles to
boost the youth volunteers in Konduga in the
fight against insurgency.
He also donated N250,000 each to families of
the 43 dead and N50,000 each to the 36
injured victims who are also to be treated at
government’s expense. He also gave N50,000
for rehabilitation while houses burnt will be
compensated according to the number of
rooms.
According to him, the amount to be given for
each of the burnt houses will be between
N100,000 and N400,000.
Shettima, who was emotionally shaken by the
level of damage, told the grief- stricken people
who thronged the palace of the District Head
in their hundreds that the State Government
would always identify with them at all times.
“What happened to you is unfortunate and you
understand that whatever happens to you
directly affects us all and we identify with you
at this hour of grief” he said.
He praised the gallantry efforts of the security
operatives and the youth volunteers which led
to the death of five of the insurgents and the
recovery of arms, saying: “you made me proud
by your commitment toward the restoration of
peace in the State”.
Shettima inaugurated a Committee headed by
the member representing Konduga in the
House of Assembly to assess the level of
damage and report back to government within
the shortest possible time.
He also raised a committee made up of the
chief Imam, the district head, caretaker
chairman, leader of the civilian JTF among
others to manage the compensation cash.
The governor commended the courage and
perservarance of one of the victims, Mmalam
Mairami Makinta, whose house was burnt.
He also pleaded with the Military Commander
of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Police
Commissioner to immediately deploy more
troops to the Area to check against future
occurence and equally implored the people to
continue praying until peace is fully restored
in the State and the Country as a whole.
Chairman of the Youth Volunteers in Konduga,
Mallam Lawan Ajid, said,the deployment of
more Military personnel would help in
galvanising the youths to conduct their
operations successfully and assured the
governor that with the support of the
government and the people, the youth
volunteers would restore peace in the state in
no distant time.
Interior Minister Abba Moro said the army is
making progress in the war against Boko
Haram militants, despite the Konduga killings.
Abba Moro dismissed the attack as “desperate”
and “isolated”.
“The security agencies of Nigeria have been
able to push the Boko Haram sect from their
major strongholds,” he told the BBC..
Apart from Konduga, 12 others were killed at
Ngom village, close to Maiduguri, according to
reports.
Although Boko Haram has not commented on
the Mosque attack, its leader Abubakar Shekau,
said in a YouTube video on Monday that his
group is responsible for the recent attacks
including the one that targeted the police and
the military.
He said this showed that the army’s claims to
have inflicted heavy losses on the group were
“lies”.
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