Osun Monarch Advises Zulum To Stop Demoralizing Army
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has been advised to stop demoralizing the Nigerian Army with his constant condemnation but rather encourage them to boost their morale to tackle the intractable insurgency in the North East.
Speaking with newsmen in his palace at Kuta, Osun State, the Olowu of Owu Kuta, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama Oyelude said instead of blaming the military over the spike in the level of insecurity leading to more people being killed in the State, the governor should encourage a symbiotic effort to tackle the menace.
Governor Zulum, on Monday visited the location where Boko Haram struck and abducted some travellers last weekend along Maiduguri-Damaturu road and expressed his dissatisfaction on how such magnitude of attack was being perpetrated under the watch of the soldiers and police special squads deployed to protect the highway.
“…Surprisingly we have a Brigade Commander with his team in Jakana; we also have a commanding officer with his battalion in Auno; both teams cover a distance of only 20 kilometres, and they have failed to protect the commuters. The Nigeria Army has failed us; they have failed in discharging their role of protecting the commuters,” the Governor was quoted.
Reacting to that statement, Oba Oyelude urged the governor to be less frontally in his attack of the military as they needed all the encouragement and support to battle those insurgents to submission.
“I am disappointed in Governor Zulum for his constant attacks of the Nigeria Army at every opportunity he has over the activities of the vicious Boko Haram insurgents in Borno. He should stop demoralizing the soldiers but rather encourage and boost their morale. I have no doubt in my mind that our military will survive any form of blackmail from any quarter,” Oba Oyelude stated.
The Olowu noted that since Zulum assumed office last year, he has been very vocal in his criticism of security agencies anytime he feels they are not performing.