As Saturday gubernatorial elections draw close in Ondo State, the Governor of Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum has advised the military to leave internal security concerns in the South Western State and focus on battling insurgency in Nigeria’s North East.
Zulum’s advice came not long after the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai assured that men of the Nigerian Army will conduct themselves in a professional manner during Saturday’s polls.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the combined Chief of Army Staff Quarterly Conference in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday, Zulum said he doesn’t want the attention of the Military to be diverted from the threatening menace of insurgency.
According to him: “When the Chief of Army talked about the success story of Edo election and forthcoming Ondo poll, I was a bit scared because I want the attention of the Nigeria Military to be in the forefront fighting the insurgency.”
The Governor used the occasion of the conference to task men of the Nigerian Army on the need to embark on what he described as clinical clearance of Boko Haram remnants after every operation.
Gov Zulum also commended the military for the renewed vigour in counter-insurgency operations, urging them to deal with saboteurs within the system and among the civil populace.
He further urged the military to build confidence with communities where they are currently carrying out various operations.