From SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday bitterly expressed his feelings and sympathy over the dreadful attack in Zambarmari rice farmers, describing the massacre as sense, brutal and barbaric.
The President also assured that his government would continue to fight Boko Baram insurgency to a logical end, while disclosing that he had directed the Service Chiefs to intensify efforts and mobilize their men and equipment to eliminate the insurgents in the state and region.
This message was conveyed by the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan when he led a 8-man Presidential delegation to Maiduguri on condolence visit to Governor Babagana Zulum and the people of Borno state, particularly, the Zambarmari community over the brutal slaughtering of 43 rice farmers on their farmlands by Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to the protection of lives and property of the citizens the especially, Borno state people and bringing to an end the insurgency without leaving any Stone untouched.
The presidential delegation include this Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, Chief of Staff to the President , Professor Ibrahim Gambari, National Security Adviser to the President, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Fantami.
Others include Minister of State for Works, Abubakar D. Aliyu, FCT Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, Minister of State for Agriculture, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri and Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Malam Garba Shehu
The delegation was also at Zambarmari village to console the families, relations and community leaders in company of Governor Zulum and his entourage where they were received by the Chief Imam of Zambarmari, Malan Idrissa Mohammed who appreciated their visit and empathy.
The Leader of the Presidential delegation, Senator Lawan consoled them and prayed God Almighty to forgive the shortcomings and sins of the beheaded as well give their families, widows and community the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss while pledging to impress on the president and his colleagues to bring relief and succour to the people of. Zambarmari
Earlier at the Government House Maiduguri, during the condolence visit, Governor Zulum thanked the president and delegation for the visit and spelt out about seven recommendations from Borno people and North East Governors to include immediate recruitment of the CJTF and vigilante hunters into the Nigerian armed forces, provide Nigerian armed forces with modern and sophisticated equipments, engage the services or neighbouring countries military forces like Chad, Niger and Cameron Republics.
Other recommendations include national assembly to review the N45 billion allocated to the north east which he said was bit even one percent if the total budget, stressing that, “peace and development are interwoven and must be prioritized”
Zulum further challenged the federal government for allowing trunk A roads across the north east to be at deteriorating state causing ghastly motor accidents and high rate of mortality and facilitating book haram insurgency due to bad condition o the of roads where Zulum observe that, in the last one year ,no single road was resurfaces or rehabilitated by the federal government in the birth east .
He added that the national assembly members and too government functionaries from the north east have failed to stand out for the progress and development of the north east while soliciting for more budgetary allocation to the birth east and Borno state in particular.
The governor appreciated the efforts and concern of President Buhari so far and called on the federal government to support the citizens s of Borno state with more material and financial support due to the 11 years insurgency effects.
Zulum hosted both the Presidential delegation and National Assembly delegation to a lunch and Zuhr and Asr prayers at the Presidential lodge before leaving the Government House to Maiduguri International Airport , Air Force Wing and return to Abuja.
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