Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Some youths in Borno State under the umbrella of Borno All Progressive Congress (APC) Youths Vanguard have reacted to the utterances of Governor Babagana Zulum, in which he described them as miscreants after accusing them for their recent conduct and attitudes as agent of security forces against peace and stability in Maiduguri metropolis.
The group urged the governor to withdraw his comment or face the political consequences.
They also accused the governor of tagging them as miscreants in his recent statement despite their complementary efforts in working tirelessly with other security agencies to restore in the state .
Spokesperson of the group, Ibrahim Hassan who addressed some journalists in Maiduguri on the recent development, explained that it is improper for the governor to to blame them for any security challenges in the state rather he could have commended their efforts and contributions
He, however, noted that the governor is their father and knows that they are responsible youths who have nothing to do with security challenges in the state and the renewed Boko Haram Insurgency.
Ibrahim, further, admitted that there are some bad eggs among them who may have compelled the governor to make such statement against them, but he said, “the blanket statement does not describe them at all”.
“We are speaking on behalf of the remaining youths. We are APC that suffered a lot at the hands of insurgents, some of us were killed, maimed, suffered a lot of physical and psychological trauma, We see no reason why we should be joined with Boko Haram as the cause of insecurity or insurgency in the state”.
“We have been political youths right from NRC, UNCP, APP, ANPP and APC, we are responsible political youths and law-abiding citizens. Yes, we agreed there are some bad eggs among us but he should not generalize that we are miscreants. We are responsible party men and women”, Ibrahim said
He also explained that they have sacrificed and laboured politically for the government and also suffered in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists, noting “that they have no reason whatsoever to join the groups to frustrating his efforts and government as he claimed in his statement”.
A member of the youths vanguard, Yakubu Dan Alhaji also said: “We have been working hard for the victory of the party right from the inception of democratic government in 1999. “
“Only for him to reward us with this statement. We are not happy but yet appealing to him to withdraw this statement except if he is saying that he brought himself to power.”