Borno emir alleges seizure of roads by insurgents

Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has said that only genuine and sincere reconciliation can put an end to the killings in the northern part of the country.

Meanwhile, the Emir of Gwoza in Borno State, Alhaji Idrissa Shehu Timta, has pleaded with the General Officer Commanding 7 Division of Nigerian Army and the Police Commissioner to save the lives and property of his people by effectively patrolling the 135-kilometre Gwoza-Maiduguri road and 152-kilometre Askira-Chibok-Damboa-Maiduguri Forest roads against Boko Haram insurgency.

Ribadu, who spoke at the weekend in Marsa village in Zangon Kataf Local Council of Kaduna State during the funeral of a community leader, Elder Peter Aruwan, said

Nigerians must realise that bloodshed has no gain, instead desecrate the sanctity of life as created by God and also destroy community relations that existed for centuries.

He said: "It is important we tell ourselves home truth since we are paying last respect to a father who had made sacrifice for peace in our communities. Let us ponder and ask ourselves: Are we doing the right thing? Is this how things were with us many years ago despite religious and ethnic differences? What is the gain of all these killings, disparaging one another and destroying sanctity of the human life? What is the gain of peddling hatred and sentiments of all kinds? It is God that created people, I don't know people that can create or re-create human beings."

On the way out of the insecurity in the north, Ribadu said: "We must advance genuine and honest reconciliation; it is paramount and the basis of re-creating our communities.

"We must exhibit high sense of tolerance and as well as patriotism to our country, and extend love to our fellow citizens irrespective of our diversities. The better we start now, the earlier we change our situation for good for peace and development."

Earlier in his remarks, Rt. Rev. Yohanna Jaja Kantiok, Bishop of Kano Methodist Diocese, said Nigeria needs prayers in view of its many challenges.

The Emir of Gwoza said pleas to the security agencies has become

Inevitable as the suspected Boko Haram insurgents have taken over the affected roads since last January by blocking them to "ambush and kill" innocent motorists and passengers on daily basis.

The emir's pleas were contained in a statement by the Information Officer of Gwoza Emirate Council (GZEC), Baba Ahmed Karau, and made available to newsmen Sunday at the Government House in Maiduguri.

The monarch, in the statement, further disclosed that besides the "blocking and taking over" of three roads in the chiefdom, two bridges on the Bama-Gwoza and Damboa-Gwoza roads had already been blown up and destroyed with explosives by insurgents last month.

These and other live threatening activities of the insurgents, the statement explained, have prevented many traders and motorists from travelling to Maiduguri to buy goods and other market wares for their customers.

The statement also reads in part: "In fact and sincerely speaking, my people, including the traders and other businessmen and women have been prevented from travelling to Maiduguri to buy industrial and household goods for sale to customers in my chiefdom with an estimated population of 655, 000 in 11 wards and other border communities with Cameroon.

"Besides that, there was no day the Boko Haram gunmen will not kill seven to 15 residents on these three roads that had already been blocked and taken over by insurgents. My people have been prevented from going to work on their farmlands last year and even the limited cultivated farmlands with harvests, including my

350-hectre farmlands and Orchards at Jaje village were seized by the insurgents last October. How can the people of Gwoza meet their family requirements for basic needs of food, water and security?"