Maiduguri –  Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has said that his administration is committed to discuss with the Boko Haram sect in spite of increased killings and attacks by its members.

Shettima made the statement in Maiduguri on Tuesday, while reacting to bomb attacks and the invasion of Gwange Police Station in Maiduguri by the militants on Tuesday.

“We will still reach out to all those involved in the attacks on individuals in the state. Our doors are open to all those willing to lay their cards on the table.

“Our stand is predicated on the premise that not all members of the group are hardliners, some of them are willing to lay down their arms and return to normal life,’’ he said.

Shettima said the state government had discovered that some politicians decided to join the killings to create a false impression about the situation in the state.

“Some individuals have taken advantage of the situation by trying to create anarchy so that the Federal Government can declare state of emergency in the state.

“They won’t succeed in the devilish act because we cannot be easily intimidated,’’ the governor said.

He said that the state government had mobilised resources to ensure the restoration of peace to the state.

“We will leave nothing unturned in our quest to make sure peace returns to Borno.’’

“We will work toward ending the crisis.’’

Shettima, however, expressed concern that the Boko Haram crisis had assumed a national dimension, following recent attacks in other parts of the country.

“Boko Haram is now a national phenomenon, it is no longer a situation restricted to Borno,” he said.(NAN)