By Ben Agande

ABUJA — Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima has said that the activities of the Boko Haram sect pose an ‘existential threat’ to the people of the state in particular and the North Eastern part of the country in general.

Shettima in tears

Shettima, who described the Boko Haram insurgents and their leader, Sheik Abubakar Shekau as lunatics who bask on publicity given to their atrocities to commit more crimes.

He spoke to State House correspondents shortly after a security meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.

The Chief of Defence staff, Marshal Alex Badeh also vowed that the military would soon retake Baga which was seized by the Boko Haram last week.

Shettima called for the deployment of more troops to the region in order to contain the activities of the terrorists.

Shettima had been asked to comment on the number of local governments in his state which were under the control of the insurgents.

However, he declined to do so, saying that doing so would bolster the confidence of the terrorists.

He said “because these lunatics feast in the oxygen of publicity; the more publicity they get the happier they become. I don’t want to give them that luxury. But I want to assure you that with 1,000 years of recorded history, Borno shall rise again in spite of all the challenges, believe me, In sha Allah.”

Describing the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau as “a lunatic and a deranged element,” who should not be accorded any respect, Shettima said the actions of the leader of Boko Haram are beneath the act of even an animal.

He, however, commended the military which he said “are making efforts. I want to leave it at that. I don’t want to pass any negative comment. They are people with blood running in their veins facing the insurgents and so I have to be respectful of the institution.”

On the abducted school girls in Chibok, the governor said the best person to comment on them is the coordinator of the National Information Centre, NIC, and the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mike Omiri.

“They are my girls certainly, they are Nigerians, they are your girls as well. They are our daughters. So nobody has monopoly over those girls, our hearts go to their parents, we have offered succour to the girls.”

He maintained that his government and indeed the people of the state were not resting on “our oars, and would continue to support the military by providing them with quality information when available,” noting that despite the destructive activities of the terrorists, he was optimistic that they would be defeated.

“I am an eternal optimist and I am passionate too for that matter that we shall have enduring peace very soon with the very robust frame work on ground. We don’t want to mention a date or anything but I believe our military is rising to the challenges of the time.

“Our military will robustly respond to the challenges, I believe. Like I said earlier, I am an eternal optimist; we have to hope for the best against whatever odds.”

Despite his optimism, the governor, however, painted a grim picture as he admitted that some local governments were under the control of the insurgents.

“We believe in spite of people’s pessimism, we are going to get back the girls, in no distant time,” he said.