The Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs in Borno State, Mr Inuwa Bwala speaks in this interview with North-West Regional Editor, Hassan Ibrahim, on the activities of the Boko Haram sect and other issues. Excerpts:THE Boko Haram sect has not relented in its efforts in unleashing terror on your state, what is really happening'The Boko Haram issue is not just a Borno problem; it is a Nigerian problem and it is a sub-regional problem. We have had a dose of it in Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe and even in Abuja. So, I don't know why people are so emphatic about Borno and creating unnecessary mountain out of a mole hill. The situation in Borno is not different from the situation in any of the states affected by this crisis. So, we are very hopeful that we will rise from the debris of this crisis and shine as a state known for peace and tourism.Several months after the intervention of the Federal Government, the situation still persists.Yes, that tells you that the intervention was not the solution. I have always said it that war ends at a round table. These people have adopted gorilla tactics in trying to fight their percieved enemies and you know that the best army never succeeds with gorillas. If the Federal Government declared a state of emergency and took over the security management of that area and the situation persisted, that tells you that the decision was not popular. In any case, even when the Federal Government declared the state of emergency, we still foot the bill. Till today, the Federal Government has not given us a dime in the name to assist us to fund the logistics of maintaining law and order in Maiduguri. As I speak with you, nobody has visited to know and appreciate the problems we find ourselves in. At a point, you begin to feel frustrated to the effect that perhaps, the Federal Government regards us as renegades in Borno State. If not, why won't somebody even come and know what is on the ground' Why wont the Federal Government extend a hand of partnership to us through financial assistance'It is true that the situation may not seem to be abating now, but it is not peculiar to Borno. So, if we approach it from a holistic viewpoint and as a national problem, it will be better for us as a country. But as long as some people feel that it is the problem of a particular enclave or that it is the problem of Borno State, the solution to this problem will continue to elude. So, I think that we still need to sit down and discuss the best modalities for pursuing this matter.After paying compensation to the family of the late Boko Haram leader, the problem still persists. One wonders why it is so.You see, people have misinterpreted the issue of the payment of that compensation to that family. First, it was not the family of the leader of the Boko Haram leader that was paid compensation; it was the family of his father in law who was killed either in error or deliberately and for whatever reason, the court in Maiduguri felt he was not killed through the constitutional means and so granted damages against the government. The Borno State government was to pay N40 million while the Federal Government wass to pay N60 million. Now as the government worst hit by this crisis, we felt that there was no need for us to appeal against that judgment or to engage in unnecessary legal tango with our own citizens. That was what informed the payment of the compensation to the family of the inlaw of the late Boko Haram leader who was also killed. In any case, we wanted to show to the world that we obey lawful instructions. Secondly, we felt that we did not have to prolong the sadness of that family by dragging on the issue.What is the government committing to financing security in the state at the moment'I may not be able to tell you exactly what we spend. Even for those of you outside Borno, looking at the quantum of personnel and logistics required which we have to fund, you will know that we are spending a lot. As I told you, we have not received any financial assistance from the Federal Government. The entire operation if funded by the Borno State government. We pay their allowances, provide the vehicles and fund the logistics. So, naturally, it takes its toll on our finances. But we thank God that the immediate past administration left something substantial for us, which we have fallen back on. In any case, funding of security issues is not something you discuss on the pages of newspapers.What effort has the government made to initiate dialogue with the group'We have tried to contact with some religious leaders who may be in a position to reach these people and explain to them that we are honest with this offer of dialogue. Unfortunately, the Federal Government, in its wisdom, decided to employ what we call carrot and stick. I don't know what level of success they have achieved with that approach.
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