By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
One million private homes destroyed – Shettima
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has scored the Muhammadu Buhari administration high in its handling of the insurgency, saying the military were gaining upper hands over the Boko Haram fighters.
He also called on the Federal Government to properly conduct a research into the activities of the Boko Haram with a view to learning some lessons and forestalling a re-occurrence.
Obasanjo made the call yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Kashim Shettima at the Government House Maiduguri, Borno state as part of his two-day visit to the state.
The former president who was in the state to participate in the University of Maiduguri’s 40th convocation ceremony, said the research becomes necessary for Nigeria and indeed other nations of the world, to enable them learn from the mistakes that led to the emergence of the insurgency.
He said: “The more we have men of good will coming to Maiduguri, the better because people will start realising that things are changing for the better and the situation is improving.
“Our military are ascending on the militants and whenever they recaptured the territories once occupied by Boko Haram terrorists, land mines planted by the terrorists should be cleared completely before people return to such communities.”
While commiserating with the government and people of the state, Obasanjo further said, the people of Borno and indeed the north-east had suffered a lot due to the activities of Boko Haram, massive killings, wanton destruction of public and private property, abduction of single and married women, recruitment of children as terrorist soldiers and grounding of the region’s socio-economic activities.
He noted that” although Borno state and the entire north-east are not out of the wood, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
The former president also advised all the strata of government in the country to take agriculture with all seriousness it deserves, “as agriculture is no longer an ordinary occupation but a serious business, if Nigeria really wants to fight unemployment and stop depending on oil.”
Obasanjo also expressed his support for the “Federal Government’s idea and move to diversify the economy from oil to agriculture to fully accommodate the large size of our youths, who he said are at the productive age and can raise the country’s growth.”
Responding, Governor Shettima said Borno state saw hell in the hands of the insurgents, as women were abducted and raped, teenagers recruited as terrorist soldiers, adding however that the situation was gradually improving, as Nigeria’s gallant military has recaptured almost all territories under Boko Haram occupation.
“Over 1 million private homes were destroyed, 5,335 classrooms, 201 health centres, 1,630 water sources, 665 municipal buildings among others, have been destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in the state.
” We have now commenced reconstruction of houses and other public buildings in most of our liberated local government areas that are considered liberated and secured by the military troops,” the governor stated.
Governor Shettima said Obasanjo is the first former President in the past 17 years to have visited the Government House Maiduguri, after leaving office, saying , ” if it were during your regime, that the Boko Haram insurgency happened, Mr. President , I know you would have acted on time to nip it on bud, but it took 19 days after the abduction of the Chibok girls before former President Goodluck called me”.
During the visit, Obasanjo is scheduled to be honoured by the university, inspect ongoing projects and commission completed projects as well as pay homage to the Shehu of Borno before departing the state for Abuja Tuesday evening.