Governor Kashim Shettima, whose Borno State has been the "Ground Zero" of the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, today said he welcomes the ceasefire with the militants and Nigeria's government effort to free high school girls kidnapped from his state in April.
The governor who spoke briefly with SaharaReporters today said he would speak fully at an appropriate time.
He noted that hundreds of local and International journalists have been making inquiries following the emergency of reports about the ceasefire, but that the he prefers to wait for the completion of the negotitations and release of the girls.
Another statement issued by his aide, Isa Gusua, stated, “Governor Shettima has always believed in tripartite approach that involves dialogue for peaceful resolution, military and economic strategies in addressing the Boko Haram problems and he has been a strong advocate of this measure through his practical efforts, sustained public appeals at various fora, which was why he firmly supported the efforts initiated by the President, Goodluck Jonathan through the setting up of the Tanimu Turaki led committee on dialogue and peaceful resolution of security challenges, in 2013 which worked actively and remained in force.”
Gusau reaffirmed that the governor is “permanently committed” to all genuine efforts that would bring the insurgency to an end, underlining the fact that Borno State and its people have been the hardest hit by the militia’s widespread violence and destructions in the past five years.