Former Borno Commissioner, Hon. Yerima Lawan Kareto
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
A former Commissioner of Trade, Commerce, and Industry in Borno State, Hon. Yerima Kareto, has invited the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, to visit Borno State.
Specifically, Kareto wants the Minister to accompany him to Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area, to witness firsthand the impact of the renewed Boko Haram onslaught.
Kareto, who hails from Damasak, offered to personally drive the Minister through the area so he can see the situation for himself before making any statements about it.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that this invitation comes after the Minister’s recent comments on the security situation in the region.
It will be recalled that last Tuesday at the end of an expanded state security council meeting with the media, heads of security chiefs, traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders in attendance in Maiduguri, Governor Babagana Zulum, who chaired the important and unique security meeting, observed that the Borno State is losing control to Boko Haram insurgents, due to the renewed terrorists attacks in many towns and villages as well as on military formations in almost all parts of the state which have so far left many civilians and soldiers dead and dislodged military formations in Wulgo, Sabon Gari, Wajirko, Izge among others.
However, in a press statement issued to Journalists on Wednesday signed by the Minister, Idris disagreed with Zulum’s claim.
The minister emphasised that the administration remains committed to combating terrorism and banditry across the nation.
He argued that the security agencies are working round-the-clock to bring the situation in parts of Borno and other states under control.
The Minister’s statement attracted wider public condemnations. Although, a day after (Thursday 10th April 2025), the minister’s media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim ‘back- pedalled’ and described the report credited to his boss as “categorically false and a gross distortion of the minister’s remarks.”
Ibrahim stressed that, at no point did the minister say, “Ignore Zulum, Boko Haram has not taken over Borno.”
However, reacting in a press statement signed by Hon. Kareto, a copy which was made available to our Correspondent at the weekend, said, such terse statement from the Minister’s Media aide alleging that he (the Minister) was misquoted, is not enough, but inviting Idris to Borno would also avail him the opportunity to personally tender apology to Government and the good people of Borno.
Kareto expressed shock at the Minister who sits at his comfort zone in Abuja and be dishing out statement himself or through his media aide on the subject matter.
He insisted that such back-pedalling tactics were not enough to make Government and the good people of Borno believe that he (Minister Idris) was actually misquoted.
“Let me informed the Minister that such statement is not enough to cool the high tensions raised on the resilient Borno people who have trust and confidence on Governor Babagana Zulum’s good governance, this can be attested to numerous people oriented projects and the unrelenting support in cash and kind to security agencies since 2019 to date.
“Minister Idris have to come to Borno under my personal invitation to follow me to Damasak.
“This would avail him the opportunity to tender an unreserved apology and to tell Nigerians whether Governor Zulum, the Shehu Of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi and other security agencies who deliberated extensively on the renewed attacks, were all better informed that Borno is losing ground to terrorists or not” Kareto said.
The APC Stalwart said Borno people stood firmly and in solidarity at all times to the present administration, urges Governor Zulum and the security agencies, especially the troops in the frontline not to be deterred by the Minister’s outburst, but remain committed and focused in the fight against the renewed killings and other criminalities bedevilling many communities in the state.
