George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Shehu of Bama Kingdom of Borno State, Shehu Kyari Ibn Umar El-Kanemi, has berated the Federal Government for allowing Boko Haram enough space to operate.
He described the continued menace of the insurgent group as a mark of failure on the part of the Federal Government.
Speaking during the unveiling of the Ejike Chukwu Educational Foundation in Etekwuru Main home, Egbema in Ohaji Egbema Council in Imo State, yesterday, where dozens of university undergraduates were enrolled for scholarship, the Shehu, who was represented by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Baba-kura Kaigama, accused the federal government of not initially taking the issue of Boko Haram very serious, a development he said had led to the sect gaining more grounds with its attendant human losses and destruction of communities in the North East.
He said: “Why I said Boko Haram is a creation of the federal government is that, at a time, the government of the day didn’t take it serious.
“They didn’t come in to arrest the situation at the beginning of the uprising. They became a law unto themselves. That’s why I said it was the failure of the state.
“They killed somebody like General Muhammed Shuwa, who was one of the excellent generals that fought to keep Nigeria as one, but up to date, nothing happened and nobody has been prosecuted.”
While acknowledging that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has diminished the insurgents, the Shehu, however, lamented that the situation has got worse as they attack and kill people on daily basis.
“Though Boko Haram is now a shell of its former self, they need to be mopped up because they are still around, rampaging and attacking soft targets.
“Just yesterday, there was a bomb blast in Maiduguri where a number of people died. So, they need to be mopped up.”
He commended the people of Egbema for their peaceful coexistence, which he said had allowed their children become benefciaries of university scholarships.
Also speaking, a Peoples Democratic Party’s chieftain, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said seeing a number of young children filing out to be enrolled for scholarships, gave him a sense of sadness about what is happening in parts of northern state where children are abducted and denied education.
He disclosed that Iwuanyanwu Foundation has initiated a move to get female pupils in the affected northern states to come down south and complete their education.
The special guest of honour and Nigeria’s former permanent representatives in United Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, charged the beneficiaries not to underrate themselves as a result of their background, but explore every opportunity that comes their way.
President of the foundation,Ejike Chukwu, said: ‘’The two most important things in my life are my love for God and the downtrodden. I am worried by the high level of illiteracy in our society and I am determined to help as many people as possible to overcome this debilitating challenge.”